Yes, it is definitely a quality of life issue first and foremost. I've wanted to get LASIK since I was about 17, but I had no idea of the actual process, or that it would have been DQ-ing.
Luckily, my parents understand that I am trying to put myself in the best position possible to fly. I just wish my recruiter would get back to me about my options. I'm waiting on his email for a recommendation. I take it your advice is just to get the surgery done and reapply?
You sound a lot like, and remind me of, my son. I hope you guys cross paths somewhere along the Naval Aviator line.
If you would elect to have eye surgery to correct your vision in any event, regardless of the Navy and flying, then I would say yes you should seriously consider having it done in timely proximity to your Navy / OCS / BDCP application . "Wavefront guided PRK" is what we were advised by Dr. Stephen Schallhorn (read about his achievements, awards and honors at
http://fr.opticalexpress.com/chirurgie-des-yeux-au-laser/dr-steve-schallhorn.html --- scroll down below the part in French)to have done.
PLEASE BE AWARE that PRK is more difficult, physically and emotionally, on the patient than Lasik. By that I mean it is more uncomfortable, for a longer period of time, and the vision is slower to come in (hence the emotional difficulty), when compared with Lasik. If all goes according to plan with both procedures: The typical Lasik patient feels pretty good in a couple of days, with great vision coming in less than a week, often in 1-3 days. With PRK, the discomfort lingers for 2 - 3 weeks, although diminishing over that time. And the vision takes days to weeks to come in, again, continually improving over that time. But, the anticipated results are better with PRK than with Lasik (so we were told by our eye surgeon).
To give you perspective from my son's experience, he had PRK done at the start of his semester break on 12/17/07, and was quite comfortable and more than functional visually when classes resumed on 1/14/08. Once healed and discharged by the eye surgeon in April 2008, his vision was 20/15; near / reading, intermediate, and distant vision (day and night) are all excellent with no lingering complications or side effects (no halos, etc.).
I'm certainly no expert but as I understand it, the Navy's concern with Lasik for Pilots is the structural integrity of the eye in regard to the flap that is cut for Lasik. With PRK, the top layer of cells is scraped from the cornea (hence the increased discomfort and longer time for the vision to come in while the cornea heals), but no flap is cut so the structural integrity of the eye is never potentially compromised therefore never in question.
Lasik would give you the quality of life improved vision you have wanted since you were age 17 (and probably younger than that). But once you tough it out through the PRK recovery and healing, you have potentially better results that will satisfy the Navy and remove that barrier from your dream of becoming a Naval Aviator. Lasik will disqualify you from flying for the Navy; PRK will open that door.
Your call as to when. Get input from your parents and your OR before you do anything. If he's a good one, he (and your parents) won't steer you wrong. Make as well-informed and counseled a decision as you possibly can, without getting stuck in "paralysis of analysis".
