Is laser eye surgery a disqualifyer?

[browneyes124]

Does anyone know about the medical disqualifications? I'm thinking about getting laser eye surgery or ICL because my vision is terrible and has gotten worse with contact lense use. They irritate my eyes a lot so they have created a lot of inflammation and discomfort when they're in. I was doing research and it said that it was mostly a medical disqualifier for entering people but some people might be able to get waivers if they are already active. As for the Navy I've only heard that's its a definite disqualifyer for aviation but do you think they would give more leinancy to an officer/ phusician ?

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[browneyes124]

Oh I think I should also mention that I am not in the military yet because I know you can get the procedure with the approval of your chain of command but since I am not in yet this doesn't really apply to me

 

[USArmyHPSP]

For the Army AR 40-501 Chapter 2, Paragraph 2-12 outlines what is acceptable. Every entrance physical that I've seen for those who have had the surgery, provide pre and post op documentation at the MEPS.

 

[psychbender]

Not a disqualifier. I had PRK recently, and a buddy of mine had ICL as a resident. The Warfighter Refractive Eye Surgery program is very heavily utilized.

 

[pgg]

I had LASIK while on AD. Just needed to get it OK'd like any other elective surgery.

 

[DeadCactus]

Depends, do you mean surgery on your eyes with a laser or surgery to install lasers into your eyes?

 

[Shikima]

Depends, do you mean surgery on your eyes with a laser or surgery to install lasers into your eyes?

I prefer mutant....

 

[TheEarDoc]

I think they go off of your pre-surgery prescription.

Why not talk to a recruiter and let MEPS do their thing and if you pass MEPS then let Uncle Sam foot the bill for you to get eye surgery?

 

[browneyes124]

Depends, do you mean surgery on your eyes with a laser or surgery to install lasers into your eyes?

I meant when they cut your eyes and put contacts inside your eyes.

 

[browneyes124]

I had LASIK while on AD. Just needed to get it OK'd like any other elective surgery.

What is AD?

 

[browneyes124]

I think they go off of your pre-surgery prescription.

Why not talk to a recruiter and let MEPS do their thing and if you pass MEPS then let Uncle Sam foot the bill for you to get eye surgery?

I was also considering that because they doctor said it would be anywhere from 8-10k. I heard there is a long waiting list in the military for eye surgery

 

[pgg]

What is AD?

Active duty.

I was also considering that because they doctor said it would be anywhere from 8-10k. I heard there is a long waiting list in the military for eye surgery

There was a long wait when I wanted mine done. So long that I just paid out of pocket to get it done.

I only needed one eye fixed. Think it cost me about $1800, give or take. Their both-eye rate was $2500 I think. Refractive surgery shouldn't be anywhere near $10K.

 

[browneyes124]

Active duty.


There was a long wait when I wanted mine done. So long that I just paid out of pocket to get it done.

I only needed one eye fixed. Think it cost me about $1800, give or take. Their both-eye rate was $2500 I think. Refractive surgery shouldn't be anywhere near $10K.

Implantable collamer lens (icl) surgery is what I'm looking into and they said its around 3500 per eye

 

[browneyes124]

Implantable collamer lens (icl) surgery is what I'm looking into and they said its around 3500 per eye

 

[browneyes124]

Active duty.


There was a long wait when I wanted mine done. So long that I just paid out of pocket to get it done.

I only needed one eye fixed. Think it cost me about $1800, give or take. Their both-eye rate was $2500 I think. Refractive surgery shouldn't be anywhere near $10K.

How long were you in the list ?

 

[backrow]

Implantable collamer lens (icl) surgery is what I'm looking into and they said its around 3500 per eye

Getting a waiver for ICL done by an outside provider is likely to be a little more difficult. The military is really one of the top notch places for refractive surgery and if you are a best fit for ICL that is what they will do without worrying about the financial implications of the different surgeries.

 

[psychbender]

I was on the WRESP waiting list at my hospital for about a year and a half before I talked to the ophthalmologist directly, and he was like "dude, I could have squeezed you in a long time ago, we get cancellations all the time." I had my procedure two months later. I tried previously in residency, but my PD wouldn't sign off on it. My friend that had ICL faced no such problems from his PD, and had it done at Womack while in residency.

 

[pgg]

I got on the list a couple years before finishing residency.

PCS'd when I graduated and was told by the new place that I needed to get back in line. Wrote a check.