Lasik Surgery
 

Hey, had the LASIK Surgery done on these old eyes of mine, fixed the distance vision and this is great. I only need glasses for reading. I would recommend the procedure to anyone, I have been wearing bifocals it seems like forever. I had the surgery done at 1730 moday and at 1530 tuesday I had 20/20 in the right eye and 20/25 in the left eye. The doctor said the eyes would continue to adjust for a while and but the vision should remain at 20/20 both eyes when things settle down.

Good deal. I'm being told by eye docs around here that they won't do the lasik on people over 50. Did they give you a hard time about it?

I was all set to have LASIK done but then I found out that my cornea's were too thin and no reputable eye Doc would even think of trying it. The only other alternative is PRK and that won't address my astigmatism and chances are I will need to still wear reading glasses. Not to mention that PRK requires a much longer healing period and is much more painful. I am glad to hear yours worked out well for you and I am a little green with envy.

That is because of a condition named Presbyopia aka old sight. You will still need reading glasses anyway and your reading Rx can change by ,25 diopter every 3-5 years.

For you old timers out there there is another option which may be needed anyway if you spent lots of time in the sun sans eye protection, i.e. FOG SF. Cataract surgery may be required. The new lens implants will give you at least 20/30 vision and in most cases 20/20. The new implants even correct for astigmatism. I had cateract surgery 5 years ago and no longer use glasses except for reading.

Responsible surgeons should advise their patients/victims that they will begin to need reading glasses around age 40. This is a natural condition due to ageing. The occular lens gradually becomes stiffer and not as able to flex and change focus from far to near. In the relaxed state it is focused on distant objects. If you want to have fun go to the supermarket. You can spot those who either need reading glasses or multifocal lenses because they stand across the aisle to read the labels on the shelves. :munchin

BamBam, glad to hear it worked out well for you. I had mine done a couple of years ago, and am happy with it. The future need for reading glasses is an acceptable trade-off for me. I definitely don't want to stand across the aisle to read the labels! :)

As far as being over 50 goes, I was 55 on 3 June, the Docs didn't question the age. Yeah I need reading glasses but I can put up with that. I considered having them do one eye for distance and the other for closeness and not needing glasses at all. The Doc said they could do it but he didn't recommend it with the activities I enjoy and the work I do. It would not cure my slice on the golf course, it could affect my shooting, and would loose some of my night vision, so I took his advice and just corrected the distance. It has been 3 days and I can tell a difference each day, went for the first check up yesterday, the Doc said my eyes were doing great and they would continue to adjust for awhile.

BamBam. You have a good Dr. I would always advise against the mono-vision solution you mentioned since your need for reading glasses will increase about every three to five years. IOW the near vision will not be sufficient in five years.

The other solution I mentioned was cataract surgery with intra-occulkar implants. This is feasible if you will need to have cataracts removed and the results are as good or better than laser surgery.

Eye correction surgery is GREAT! I had PRK done back in 2002. I was told that PRK would be extremely painful and the healing process was going to be long and that I would not see 20/20 for a couple of days, at least, but I was seeing 20/20 the next day and was healed in less than a week. And as far as the pain was concerned, I didn't really think it was that bad, at least it was well worth the eyesight...lol.

-skipjack

My brother here at Bragg also got it done. Now he won't shut up about how great it is.

is there any info on those of us who want lasik/prk done before we go to SFAS? I believe I read that you have to wait a to attend after you have the surgery performed, but I might be mistaken. One guy once talked about guys going off on a friday afternoon after training, getting the surgery and being back in training monday morning. Said this was done sometime in the pipeline of training. I know in the AF they where picky about which surgery flyers could get, does the Army have the same policy?

Wait till you are done with the Pipeline.

How would you feel if you went in for elective surgery, it was botched, and you were reclassed, pulled from training, and shipped off to legland?

Plenty of time to get it done after you are tabbed.

TR

Take TR's advice. The risks are real. The stories you've heard are from guys who paid out of their own pocket to have it done in a civilian facility. (That invites a "Line of Duty NO" if anything screws up.) LASIK can close up that fast but it still takes weeks before the Army considers you deployable. Anything that dislodges the corneal flap (the proverbial stick in the eye) can cause serious complications. That's one of the reasons Womack does PRK on deployable soldiers, they can throw you to the wolves as soon as the pain goes away. The Group Surgeons can give you a good brief on everything you need to know to make an informed decision. FWIW - I had PRK almost four(?) years ago. 20/15 far vision both eyes and it corrected mild astigmatism (as part of the procedure). I now have to wear reading glasses if I spend too much time at the computer or reading (all the time now) but I can still see the front sights. The best part - now I can scan for intermediate/long range targets without reaching for my glasses first so I think it was well worth it. Critical point - If you wear glasses don't forget to keep wearing some type of eye protection even after the corrective surgery. We get used to having something in front of our eyes just so we can see to the point it's taken for granted that we're protected from that aforementioned "stick in the eye". Does anybody else remember the stink when Gargoyles first became available? Thankfully a lot of the leadership is more enlightened now. FWIW - Peregrino

wow, great info and advice gentlemen. I am just tired of the hastle of wearing glasses all the time. I'm planning on buying a set of WileyX's with perscription lenses for protection when i wear contacts and change out the lenses to wearthem as glasses at drill/training.

So, i'm understanding that PRK is the route to take for the line of work I will be getting into as a SF troop after I'm tabbed?

Here's my .02 - Live with what you have for a while, finish training, and go to your unit. Then research your options with competent medical authority. The truth has been known to change. What is true today may not last until tomorrow, let alone a year from now. The longer you wait - the more data they collect, the better they get at performing the proceedure, the more latitude they may have in types of procedures, etc., etc. Right now - for most operators - the Army will do PRK for FREE! I do know of guys who got LASIK at Womack but it was special circumstances and IIRC they were not immediately deployable. Beats the $1200 we paid to get the wife's eyes fixed (worth it after putting up with her insane jealousy for months after I got mine fixed). The bad news - the civilians didn't do as good a job on her LASIK as the Army did on my PRK - she just didn't have the painful recovery. HTH - Peregrino

ahhh i see i have much to learn, thanks sounds like great advice, i'll take it in and put it in my lil bag of knowledge

I had PRK after my first OEF tour. I now have 20/50 in my shooting eye and 20/40 in the other. I had to go get new glasses after the six month checkup. Still way better than it used to be. I just need the glasses to sharpen things up so I can see the guys on the hills that may or may not have an RPG. I got some prescription lenses for my Wiley-X SG-1s a few weeks ago. Haven't really used them yet. I would recommend waiting until after the pipeline or at the very beginning of language.

Guys, asking for advice about the LASIK surgery, listen to what Pelligrino , TR and others are telling you, I am an FOG, I would not get this type of surgery done until I completed all phases of the qualification course. Once assigned to a team then I would check the type of surgery available and then make my decision. I am very satisfied so far with the LASIK I had performed earlier this week. My goal was to fix far sightedness, and not interfer with any of the task (ie. firearms, tactics) I am responsible for in my current job. I do need reading glasses but thats OK with me. Do not do anything that could put yourself at the risk of not completing your goals you have set for yourself. Meet the goals and then consider your options.

Lasik
 

Bam Bam:

I had mine done a little over 4 years ago. I knew I would have to wear reading glasses. I was great and still is. I still wear reading glasses but that beat the heack our of wearing glasses all day. Glad everything went well and you like. In this crowd I am an OFG also.

I had Wavefront INTRALasik done in December 2005. My corrected vision is now 20/15 in both eyes with no astigmatism and better night vision. Best $2300 I've ever spent that didn't add something to the gun safe.

Had PRK done a few years back, straight forward deal with no complications. Vision has been excellent since.

Question
 

Gentlemen,
I have searched through the forums (along some other internet searches) and can't seem to find anyone who has mentioned about an eye waiver to qualify for the 18X program. My situation is this... eyes are at an Rx of 6-7 (last time I checked) and the AF will not preform corrective surgery on me; they will only go to a perscription of 5. My recruiter said it should not be a problem since I am correctable 20/20 in one eye and almost 20/20 in the other.
I've been trying to get an Army form/publication reference from the recruiter, but have not been able to get any word out of him after a month or two of follow-up calls and emails. I really don't want to get caught with my ass in the wind from a recruiter at the last moment plain and simple.
If I've overlooked something in this site please let me know so I don't have to be "cup checked". If anyone here can provide a reference point so I can do some further research and make sure I will be on the right track it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again!

I know that this is asking a lot, but did you dop a search for, I don't know, how about "eyesight waiver?"

Let me know what you find.

I would do a lot more searching and reading before asking questions.

News flash - you have terrible eyesight. And I don't think they are taking a bunch of medical waivers these days. They don't have to.

TR

Roger that boss... point taken, won't happen again.

Found a updated 40-501 (2010 version) for it... found what I needed.


I've had people tell me that throughout my career so far with the AF. It is what it is; looks like I'll just be doing a bit more work and pressing on to get where I want to be.

Thanks for the explanations. Wife had this done past spring due to cataracts having progressed to the point the insurance would cover it; am waiting to achieve same "degree" of need for same thing after seeing the terrific results she had, as am not a candidate for Lasik. She had a 2-wk recovery on one eye because of a 'nick' (and resultant single stitch) on the first one, was rockin' & rolling after after a few days with the second. She enjoys being able to snag whatever the neatest set of wrap-arounds are.

Other notes post lens replacement:
1. Colors really pop for her; like strings on a guitar that have gradually gone dead one often doesn't notice until you put fresh ones on.
2. She is back to that "I can drive in twilight better than you can" thing and her peripheral vision is much improved.

Very much an option worth exploring.
Thanks again for your contribution.

FYI...
Lens replacement surgery secondary to cataracts is not lasik surgery...

Change of eye dominance
 

BamBam,

I swapped eye dominance for about 6 weeks while I was healing from my PRK. I was fully cleared by my Doc to go shooting at an indoor range. I had some difficulties focusing on the target. I was very fortunate that the Doc was a gun-nut, former 11B, and actually took a lunch brreak and went back to the range with me to figure out the issue.

Did not take the Doc watching me shoot 3 rounds to have him notice I had switched eye dominance.

I had to learn to shoot right-handed for about 6 weeks before the eyes healed up 100% and I went back to left eye dominant.

Now I benefit from being able to accurately shoot with either hand using either eye. I put 50 or more rounds downrange each visit with the right eye just to keep in practice.

LASIK
 

I had LASIK done at Walter Reed in 03. Great experience. At the time, all the bases on the East coast, minus FBNC were coming to WRAMC for eye surgery with buses of troops. I started asking around and found out that the Surgeon General at the time endorsed WRAMC doing as many as the schedule could handle. Was preventing injuries from contact lenses or shattered lenses. Remember in 03 we were having some casualties....
When I went back to my Unit surgeon with the appointment from my Doctor at WRAMC, they hit the roof! "You can't have LASIK! Freefallers can't have eye-surgery! My policy is (inject your reason here)". So I asked for the USASOC policy letter.
Come to find out, once you have had any specialty training, you can get what ever your doctor recommends for you particular calamity. WRAMC put LASIK in writing from a doctor who had thousands under his belt. My surgeon nor FBNC were willing to contest that finding in writing. SO WRAMC did LASIK.
2 days later I was fine and went and did an instructor course 10 days later. My eyes didn't pop out, get ball cancer or lose my sinuses. Go figure. Much ado about nothing.
Only thing I did find out, you should get through the pipeline and achieve any specialty training you desire prior to getting any surgeries. Don't put yourself at a disadvantage to some one else's discretion.
V/r
AM