I need to start working on obtaining lasik. Any .mil members know what the process is?

The .mil is sending me to Wright - Pat next week to get PRK, I'm looking foward to shooting with modified safety glasses

What branch are you in? If AF, I can help you out.

USAF. Sending you an IM.

Arfcom lacks the appropriate smiley for me to give you an accurate response.  So use your imagination.

[thebird]

Done in Oct 2009. 20/15 both eyes but am right-eye dominate and went pistol shooting this past weekend. Target in focus, sights a little out. 25 yds was interesting. 7 yds was gtg.

is PRK the safer procedure?

 

 

I had RK (pre-Lasik) done in about 1995...best thing I have ever done.

I do wish I had waited for Lasik, but still happy with the results.

Congrats on getting it done.  I had Lasik back in 2000 and my vision is still around 20/13 to 20/15, depending on the day.  FWIW, I shot rifleman scores a few times this past weekend at my first appleseed shoot with an A2-uppered carbine, so apparently it has helped my vision a bit.  I used to have worse than 20/500.



 

With PRK, the recovery time is much longer.  The surgeon removed the outer layer of the eye, zaps and reshapes the cornea then places a band-aid like contact lens over the removed portion.  The lens stays in and will eventually dissolve as the eye heals.  This takes several weeks.  In the meantime, it will feel like you have a grain of sand in your eyes (this is what I have been told).  

With Lasik, the surgeon makes a flap, peels it back, zaps and reshapes and replaces the flap.  The eye immediately begins to heal.  Recovery time is a few days with no direct contact to the eyes (rubbing, water from shower etc...) for a few weeks.  Then you are good to go.  Minimal pain or discomfort, I didn't have any.

As far as safety, they are both safe.  IMHO, lasik is safer as there is a shorter recovery time and less chance of irritation and infection caused by the band aid contact.

The reason the .mil is making me get PRK vs. Lasik, is that I am a weapons instructor, and I was told by my doctor that the M107 has enough pressure on the recoil to posibly dislodge the flap. Also she said that they are getting better results with PRK.

If they are paying for it, go for the PRK.  I have had no problems firing any weapons after Lasik.  Within a few weeks of having my eyes zapped, I was firing everything from .45LC, 264 Win Mag, .270, 50BMG and Full auto toys such as Uzi's and M4's.  

Their dime, their rules.  

Well I was told that when I get up there I will get to choose between the two. If you have had no problems firing weapons, mainly .50 and up, I might ask for Lasik. I'm still not sure though which one I want.

Did it a year and a half ago

love it

20/200 then

20/15 now

6 ish months to get rid of side effects, none now.

Want it.


Cant afford it.

Had it done three weeks ago..... right eye was GTG right off( 20/15)... the left (20/20)has taken a little longer to normalize.... but I think the left has gotten better in the last week.. I will know for sure in two weeks on  my next checkup, it sure is sweet to have no glasses or contacts. I only have dry eye issues in the morning, so far I am glad I did it.

Join the army

Almost every eye place will have a financing plan. If you're willing to deal with a monthly payment, that might be a possible way to go. The trick is to find a reputable eye place.

Congrats! I had my eyes done 4 weeks ago tomorrow. My thread on it is here. Don't let the "some guy committed suicide!" bit get to you, reading his threads and doing some basic internet research showed that the doc he went to was known for being a useless shitbag. Not to speak ill of the guy, but well...it looks like, from my perspective, his whole situation could have been avoidable. But, YMMV.

I haven't gotten to the range yet either; probably this weekend I'm gonna try the modified peepers out.

My first checkup (last Thursday), I easily read the 20/20 lines, and after letting my eyes focus for a bit, could read 20/15. The doc explained that while the first %95 of healing is pretty quick, that last %5 might take a while depending on the person, hence why reading 20/15 wasn't an immediate thing. I'm comfortable with that. It's still a novelty waking up and being able to read the stupid alarm clock.

I can't wait to see how well it works (or doesn't) at the range

Nighttime stuff has halos around lights (think foggy night, kind of like that, but ONLY around lights; everything else is crystal clear). But, since I had them before while wearing glasses, I'm not noticing much difference. If it gets better, I'll be extremely happy (and they tell me it will). If it stays the same, I won't be any worse off anyway.


One thing you'll notice...an appaling lack of protective eyewear when you start doing things You'll find yourself putting on eyepro for everything now, to protect the expensive eyes...