Lasik Eye Correction

Should I get LASIK/LASEK laser eye surgery?

I am joining the military, should I get laser eye surgery or not risk it? Since I would be issued goggles, ballistic goggles, sunglasses etc, is this defeating the object and regretably so? Thanks

Public Comments

1. I joined the military too (Marines) and I also wear glasses. I would really like to get eye surgery (it affects my MOS), and while it's possible the military will pay for it- usually there's a long line. You should look it up at the websites for surgery- they'll tell you requirements. The main one is you should be in your early 20s before getting the surgery so your eyes' perscription has leveled out and doesn't change at all. That's the big one for me b/c i'm only 17. Oh well- I'll just have to wear the BC's in boot camp.
2. No.There are too many risks involved and if a mistake is made it can't be corrected.Go on line and read the recent articles about people who are now suffering.
3. Wait until you join and get the corrective surgery done. You won't wait to long, I had to wait around 5 months. I dont regret it at all though! Good luck
4. My son is awaiting Boot camp for the USMC (3 weeks) On the message boeard for Parris Island it says says the Marine Corps will not accept you if you have had the surgery.Im not positive how accurate that is. Quoted from Yuku Message boardRe: arriving at PI #20 [-] Posts: 36 (03/15/07 07:52 PM) Do Not do anything that will make a change from your original physical. After our son had passed his physical and was sworn in, we decided we wanted to get his eyes corrected with Lasik surgery before he went off to boot so he wouldn't have to worry with glasses. The eye doctor said it would be completely healed in 5 weeks, and he was leaving in 6. Fortunately, we had the recruiter check with MEPS, and they said ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! They consider this cosmetic surgery, and, if he had had it done, he would have been sent home for 6 MONTHS before he would have been allowed to begin his recruit training.
5. there are two ways to go about it, you can either A. get it done before you go but then you will have to supply all the medical documents and things like that but it shouldnt hold you up at all or you can B. wait until you get in and then have the surgery done and it might be covered for free but either way i have only heard good things about the surgery and the military trusts it, they are even accepting pilots who have had their sight corrected by it and before you had to have 20/20 now it could be corrected to that
6. I had lasik while on active duty and the army paid for it. But i am currently trying to get back on active status and because of the surgery the meps is giving me a hard time even thought the army did it, and it was at a military hospital. So i would not recommend doing it before you go in.
7. YES because having glasses downrange sucks.
8. I would get it if I were you. I know a lot of people in the military that have gotten it. Just get it done a few months before you want to join. The military needs that to see that it worked. Prior to my deployment to Iraq about 5 Soldiers got it and all loved it, and had no issues. The military acctually started to do it now, in Fort Bragg. So if you dont want to pay for it, they may do it for you. And as far as the prescription Ballistic goggles that the military issues, they are crap. If I had to do it over again, I would had gotten LASIK before I deployed and not after. Trust me, get it done, you will have no regrets. Usually the eye DR. likes it if you are 25 or older, or have not had any changes in your prescription in a couple of years.
9. Ur joining the military and ur worried about permanent eye damage from a VERY common operation over being sent to the sandbox? Boy are your priorities mixed up. Lasik only effects certain MOS's. In fact...Lasik/eye surgery is preferred over glasses wearers in MOS 153A...thats a HELICOPTER PILOT!!!!!!! So unless you're doing something more cool & dangerous than that....go get the damn surgery....my god.... lol For once wake up in the morning and stumble to the bathroom to potty WITHOUT something strapped to ur face...ya...that'd be cool....
10. Laser eye surgery is very safe nowadays. My cousin got her dental implants and Lasik surgery in India by a company called Indian Health Guru Consultants. The Price for dental and Lasik surgery is very less in India. She paid 25% of the price she was quoted in America. Indian Health Guru Consultants is very famous in India They arrange Dental surgery, jaw surgery, Lasik eye surgery, Dental Implants etc for foreign patients in India. I read a lot about them in the Newspapers and magazines- about their patient stories. They arrange financing for USA, Canadian, UK and other international patients who plan to have surgery abroad for low cost, as dental and eye surgery is not covered by insurance. They also have photos pasted of their International patients. You can checkout their website. There are huge cost savings. As a doctor I personally believe that surgery can be easily handled in India, as the quality of healthcare available In India is simply best in the world. The surgeons are USA/UK trained and facilities are 5 star. http://www.indianhealthguru.com Hope this helps.
11. Stay Away From LASIK My Story Patrick Sheahan underwent LASIK at the age of 23, hoping improved vision would help further his law enforcement career. When Patrick—a street police officer—went in for a consultation at LASIKPlus they said he was a perfect candidate; his vision problems were so mild that he could almost see without his glasses. But following LASIK surgery at LASIKPlus, Patrick’s left eye began to deteriorate until all he could see out of it was light; he experienced daily dizzy spells and migraine headaches. Patrick began taking painkillers and consulted with his optometrist who told him his left cornea was severely damaged and misshapen. Unfortunately, Patrick’s story is far from isolated. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received 140 reports of LASIK-related problems between 1998 and 2006, representing just a sampling of what has gone wrong with LASIK. Although the FDA is finally reviewing complaints from LASIK patients who have suffered from a variety of issues, including blurred vision and dry eyes, its actions come too late for Patrick and many others who suffer from irreversible eye damage. LASIK—laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis—surgery involves using a laser to cut a small flap in the eye’s cornea to allow for reshaping of the corneal tissue with another laser to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and, sometimes, astigmatism. LASIK was approved a decade ago and an estimated six million Americans have undergone LASIK surgery with hundreds of thousands of Americans undergoing LASIK yearly. The surgery permanently reshapes the cornea, there are no guarantees of 20/20 vision, and the long-term safety of LASIK remains unknown. When Patrick Sheahan realized something had gone wrong with his procedure, he made an appointment with Dr. Gerald Horn of LASIKPlus, the man who performed the botched LASIK surgery. Horn kept Patrick and his grandfather waiting an unbelievable five hours before finally examining Patrick and admitting to a major complication. Horn blamed the laser, saying there may have been a malfunction and there was nothing further he could do. In addition to shoddy surgical work, Horn was extremely rude to Patrick and his grandfather, rushing the two men out before answering their questions, saying he had a meeting to attend and if they had more questions, they would have to make another appointment to see him. Horn offered no options for vision correction and no sympathy toward his now-blind patient. After consulting with many corneal experts, the conclusion was that Patrick—now blind in one eye—needed a corneal transplant. Corneal transplants involve cutting the cornea out of the eye and replacing it with a donor cornea. The surgery involves dozens of stitches—30 for Patrick who received his transplant in July 2003. Also, optical stitch removal is tedious; can take many visits; and can only be done a few at a time, when the stitch loosens, and with a needle-like instrument while the patient is conscious. Patrick paid $18,000 dollars for the transplant and additional $4,000 for a follow-up lens implant in 2005. Patrick’s doctors expect that Patrick will have to undergo many other future procedures and warn that his cornea can reject at any time. Patrick has lost nearly two years of income, his entire savings, and his position as a street officer; he will never be able to work in the same capacity due to his vision problems.