Service Selection Question

[ma0305]

If your vision is correctable to 20/20 vision but you wear glasses normally, can you get lasik and go aviation? Do you need a waiver still or is it even possible at all?

 

[Capt MJ]

If your vision is correctable to 20/20 vision but you wear glasses normally, can you get lasik and go aviation? Do you need a waiver still or is it even possible at all?

Naval Health Clinic Annapolis > Health Services > Vision > Optometry > Refractive Surgery

There is a process. If you are a good candidate for it, you can get the surgery. If you meet criteria after, and pass the ore-comm physical and are found eligible for aviation, you can put that on your service selection list of preferences. No guarantees, of course.

 

[Happy2BaNavyMom]

Naval Health Clinic Annapolis > Health Services > Vision > Optometry > Refractive Surgery

There is a process. If you are a good candidate for it, you can get the surgery. If you meet criteria after, and pass the ore-comm physical and are found eligible for aviation, you can put that on your service selection list of preferences. No guarantees, of course.

Always correct and precise answer Capt. MJ. I think (at least in 2021) they did RFK surgery which is slightly more invasive. I'm not an expert (my kid was borderline but did NOT need the surgery) and I will happily be corrected.

 

[THParent]

My son got PRK surgery at Walter Reed on the Navy's dime. He has 20/15 vision now and was told he could go aviation like dear old Dad.
He chose not to, however!

 

[Ivy22]

Here's what I know with regards to eye surgery and aviation:

For SNA:
uncorrected each eye must be 20/40 or better, correctable to at least 20/20 each eye if not 20/20 uncorrected

For SNFO:
uncorrected: no limit but must be correctable to 20/20 each eye

Surgeries:
If you get LASIK or PRK, then your new "uncorrected" vision is whatever you see without glasses after surgery. They might now be starting to recommend LASIK over PRK for most patients if you qualify for both. Uncomplicated LASIK that gets you to 20/20 or better will NOT disqualify you from any aviation platform.

Waiting period for commissioning waiver after LASIK or PRK: 6 months
Waiting period for NAMI after LASIK if you get it done after commissioning: 1 month-ish, although it can be sooner or later depending on healing
Waiting period for NAMI after PRK if you get it done after commissioning: 3 months I think
It's my understanding that USNA likes to do LASIK or PRK before 1/C year to allow time for recovery, waivers, etc. They might do it during 2/C year or in the summer? Not sure when exactly, but the Navy pays for it if you're a USNA mid. For NROTC, you have to pay for it on your own, unless you get it done after commissioning down in Pensacola.