Eyesight requirements and corrective surgery

[furanomycin]

 

Hello everyone, new to the community hoping we can get some help and guidance concerning our son. 

 

He's interested in joining the Navy.  He was interested in computers, no special forces.   He took the written exams and did well, but was later disqualified during the physical for his eyesight.  He was told he had "too high of a refraction rate".  He currently wears contacts

 

We asked the recruiter if he could still join if he had corrective eye surgery, but we got conflicting answers from the two recruiters that were there.  ONe recruiter saying he could still qualify if he had the surgery, the other was less convinced.

 

So we are currently at a loss.  We'd be more than happy to pay for corrective eye surgery (LASIK or otherwise) if that would help his chances to get in, but we can't get definitive guidance about which type of surgery is acceptable and to what level.

 

Should we consult civilian eye doctors?  Is there a Navy person we can contact for help who knows the regulations well enough to provide us with guidance?  We really at a loss as to what to do and whome to contact..

 

thanks

K and M

 

 

 

 

[Angie]

No one can (or should) give you a definitive answer. Why?  The guidance changes all the time, what could be ok today may not be next week. 

 

If you want to get the surgery done and he isn't in the USN, than yes you contact a civilian eye doctor to get the surgery.

[Craig]

Man that recruiter must not be up on the rules concerning Lasik.... Secondly, your son must be really blind without his glasses.  I was a 7.5 diopter and did Lasik in 1999 and still have 20/20....

 

Go read the rules yourself.  If they allow it with the SEAL team, the aviation community, and the submarine community, they will allow it in all the ratings.  However, you may need a waiver..

 

Go read

Page 66 which says:

(13) Eye surgery or any manipulation to
correct poor vision such as radial keratotomy, photorefractive
keratectomy, LASIK, intracorneal ring
implants, orthokeratology (Ortho-K), or eye rubbing
to reshape the cornea. Due to the Navy's progress
with corneal refractive surgery, see theAeromedica1
Reference and Waiver Guide for specific standards
and waiver applicability.

 

Page 79 which reads:

131 History of refractive corneal surgery
is not considered disqualifying. However, candidates
must wait 3 months following their most recent surgery
(PRK or LASIK), have satisfactory iniprovernent
in visual acuity, and be fully recovered froni
any surgical procedure. A designated diver must wait
1 month post-LASIKIPRK and be fully recovered
from any surgical procedure with satrsfactory
improvement in their visual acuity prior to resumption
of diving.

 

Page 95 which reads:

2.  Waiver is not required for successful LASIK or PRK correction.

 

http://www.med.navy.mil/directives/Documents/NAVMED%20P-117%20(MANM...

[furanomycin]

Yes, our son is basically blind without contacts or glasses.  It will be good for him to get corrective surgery whether he is allowed into the Navy or not.  We would like to make sure that whatever procedure he has is Navy acceptable.  Thanks for the help!

 

K and M