Vision correction surgery - DON'T

[The Rat]

Had PRK done about a year ago. After the initial recovery period, I have had no issues or side effects at all, with 20/13 vision. Definitely the best money I ever spent.

My vision had a few odd halos when I was still recovering, but those went away after a month.

OP seems a bit overly emotional about the topic to me.

[Armati]

The SOCOM Surgeon only authorizes PRK. PRK hurts more and has a longer healing time. However, it forms a more durable scar.

A lot of civilians go with LASIK because it seems like a pretty simple out-patient procedure. With PRK you know you got wounded. You have to have someone drive you home and you spend the next 3 days in the dark, with ice packs on your face, and all wacked out on percocet.

Since I fight and conduct airborne ops, I was very concerned about the LASIK flap thing.

Now, I have 20/13 - 20/15. It is pretty amazing. No more pain the ass issues with using NODs, binos, or goggles. No more glasses fogging over in cold weather or humid conditions. No more contact lens maintenance. I can wake up and see immediately.

[mkmckinley]

I got PRK through the Army and am really happy with the results so far. I had the surgery about 5 years ago and still have 20/15 vision both eyes. For about the first year there was some discomfort due to dryness but it was intermittent and not too bad. I had pretty bad light sensitivity for a few weeks but that diminished too. I still have some sensitivity but I just wear sunglasses which is probably a good idea anyway. To me it's been well worth it.

[Tim McBride]

I wore glasses my first deployment, the issue insert/protective lenses broke fairly often. I had Wiley X prescription glasses made and sent, constant issues with them but better then just wearing my glasses for 15 months.
When I got back, I went through the Army program and had LASIK done at FtHood through the program there.
On My second deployment it was a much easier time and although I was still dealing with dry eye issues I did not have any serious problems with my LASIK.
I wouldn't know what to do today if I had to go back to training with glasses and all the issues that come up with them.

I am a firm believer that getting the right person to do the LASIK makes all the difference in the world.

[williejc]

A physician friend and I are both super myopic and astigmatic. When I asked her whether or not she had considered vision correction surgery, she replied NO. Why? Because she had observed that eye surgeons choose not to undergo this same treatment for themselves.

[Turnkey11]

I had PRK on both eyes at Tripler a month before deploying to Iraq in 2006. The only appointment I made before deploying was the 4 day checkup to get the contacts removed, which I had already done myself a day or so earlier because they felt like gravel in my eyes. I have slight astigmatism in the left eye but today I still have 20/20 left, 20/15 right. Well worth what I paid for the procedure (not a damn thing!)

[tony413]

if you have $10,000 just get ICL's (implanted contact lense) this is by far the BEST thing out for vision correction, it takes about 15min theres no cutting or removal of material from the eye and no side effects and the healing time is pretty much a few days (1-3).

if you want more info go here http://www.laservueorlando.com/icl-i...ontact-lenses/

Dr. Brock is a superb eye doc and does a lot of these procedures on active duty military members because its faster, better, and safer than lasik. Brock had a soldier come in who was the in an IED blast and got about 5 pieces of frag to the eye and his implanted contact lense were undamaged. pretty cool pictures as well.

[Frankyoz]

Got my eyes done about 5yrs ago now still have slightly better than 20/20 vision and consider it the best money I have ever spent period. I used a Dr in La Jolla when I was stationed at Pendleton dont remember the office name but they did the players for the san Diego Chargers and high end clients. Its definitly a surgery I would skimp on and would do some research but done correctly if you have worn glasses or contacts your whole life is also the most rewarding thing.

[QuietShootr]

I wore glasses my first deployment, the issue insert/protective lenses broke fairly often. I had Wiley X prescription glasses made and sent, constant issues with them but better then just wearing my glasses for 15 months.
When I got back, I went through the Army program and had LASIK done at FtHood through the program there.
On My second deployment it was a much easier time and although I was still dealing with dry eye issues I did not have any serious problems with my LASIK.
I wouldn't know what to do today if I had to go back to training with glasses and all the issues that come up with them.

I am a firm believer that getting the right person to do the LASIK makes all the difference in the world.

I agree. I had LASIK done in 1998, by an utterly top-flight surgeon. It cost almost $6,000, which was a hell of a lot of money in '98 - but I went from 20/500 in my right and 20/300 in my left to 20/10 in both - and it's held stable for 14 years. I had NO complications, which I attribute to the surgeon and to the fact that I followed his instructions to the absolute letter. I had some dryness the first year or so that could be alleviated with drops, and in very low light I get some starring around light sources, but I have learned to live with it. It was worth it, IMO.

When I was an 11B as a kid, I carried three pairs of glasses: one on my face, one in a hard case in a cargo pocket, and one in my ruck (and that doesn't count the M17 inserts). If I'd lost my glasses in combat, I'd have been ****ed. I always wondered why there wasn't a vision requirement for Infantry. I guess we're cheaper than pilots.

Since then, like someone posted above, I've been pepper sprayed, jumped out of planes, been diving, flown in open-cockpit planes, all that.

[tacti-cool]

I had PRK done in 2006..
Lasik is stupid, they cut a 3 sided flap.. laser .. then lay it back down, and there can always be a " blow out".

Get PRK!!!!

its very safe