Eye surgery to be a pilot in the US Navy...

[psrogers]

Hello Everyone,
I am a prospective officer recruit just beginning to work on the tests and paperwork. I have two quick questions if anyone has a moment to help me out...

1. What kind of eye surgery is acceptable for navy aviation? I hear LASIK Surgery is the best, most reliable kind out there now, but I haven't seen it referred to specifically by name on this site. I'm sure a bunch of you fellas have probably had eye surgery...

2. You might want to kill me for this one...Why choose to be a Navy Aviator instead of an Air Force aviator? Please forgive my inexcusable ignorance and stupidity, but what is making some of you choose one over the other?

Thanks in advance to anyone who responds to this posting.

 

[JTP]

PRK is accepted, no LASIK. You might want to ask around on LASEK. That is a more recent and upgraded PRK method. You can find all this info on the NOMI website. I'm not sure of the link, but I'm sure you can find it in the archives fairly easy. I've had the surgery, and I am applying for the waiver in 10 days.

As far as why be a Naval Aviator? That could start a debate in here. That is something you need to look at and decide on your own w/o outside influences.

YEAH COME ON!!

 

[Hartman]

psrogers-
1) You can have PRK surgery. I had it myself. LASIK will PERMANENTLY disqualify you from flight duty. Don’t even think about it if you want to be a pilot in the Navy. If you’re serious about it, you should go to an opthamologist (be careful about who you select) to find out if you are a candidate for PRK. If your PRK results are good, you can apply for pilot as soon as 3 months from the date of your surgery. Hopefully, someone on this site will have a link to a Navy website that will cover the rules on PRK for you. Just do a Yahoo search for Navy + PRK + pilot (or something). You’ll find enough stuff to keep you busy into next week.

1a) Ditto on the LASEK, but I don’t know too much about it.

2) Dude??? Don’t do that again.
Just kidding. Everyone has a different story on this, but I mostly chose the Navy for personal reasons (plus I didn’t want girls to see me wearing a baby-blue shirt to work). I was actually considering the Air Force as a backup to the Navy. But when I finally spoke to an AF recruiter, the guy told me what a loser I was and hung up the phone. The AF wants you to be conceived in an airplane and have several hundred flying hours before you’re even born.

 

[psrogers]

Thanks fellas
1) I looked on Yahoo like you said, (thanks) and apparently you are right that only PRK is accepted, which is too bad, because I guess LASEK is just the next thing in the evolution of eye surgery. I think I will undergo PRK, if I pass the pre-screenings. I really want to be a pilot in a huge way. I take my ASTB a week from today... got the ARCO book and am getting ready for war.

2) Navy or AF: go big or go home. Why tell the ladies that you landed on a big runway when you can tell them that you land on a 50x50 box? Besides, fishings always been a hobby of mine. My old man was in the Navy, would've flown in Korea, but he is color blind.

Anyhoo, thanks and be hearing from me in the future I'm sure.

 

[Hartman]

psrogers-
Go check out this site: http://www.nomi.med.navy.mil/Text/NAMI/WaiverGuideTopics/ophthalmology.htm#lasik

Scroll down to 12.13. This section covers everything you need to know about getting a waiver for PRK and still be considered for pilot.

 

[JTP]

I had LASEK along w/ a few others on this board. My Dr. talked w/ some people in the NAVY and they gave the O.K.. Micheal Webb also had it done, and we both did extensive research on it before we went under the laser. I'd look into it a little harder. May people say PRK and only PRK, but there is a way around the pain w/ LASEK and still be qualified.
I'm sending my waiver in w/ my app. in around a week or so. I'll let you know how that goes, and you can take it from there. You might want to E-mail Micheal Webb. He is on this website also, and sent his package/waiver in July 31st. Look into man, b/c LASEK is way less painful than PRK and is supposed to have better outcomes than LASIK and PRK. I now see 20/10 in each eye. I can see through bras and panties now it's so good.

YEAH COME ON!!

 

[Hartman]

PRK hurt me bad. If you want an idea of the pain, just scratch up your eyeballs with rusty steel wool, pour rubbing alcohol in your eyes, and then set them on fire!!!

 

[psrogers]

less pain and seeing through panties is an irresistable combination... well worth the price- I have a screening appointment on tuesday.