Lasik

[FireFinder]

I had the INTRALase laser used to create the flap, so the first 2 hours following my procedure, my eyes felt like they were on fire. They had given me 1 valium, and 1 vicodin, which might as well have been skittles for all they did for me. I had my surgery done in Vancouver, WA, about 2 hours from where I live, and I couldn't fall asleep on the way home. Once I got home, I took another set of pills and promptly racked out for a couple of hours, and when I woke up they didn't hurt at all.

I've been using the refresh plus artificial tears, and after a month, I really dropped off in my usage, and now pretty much just hydrate them when they feel dry, which may be once a day. The intralase procedure usually takes about 6 months for your eyes to return to normal and not need the drops at all according to my doc.

[Ranger Bill]

Good info. I had 20-15 until I passed 40 and it's now to 20-20 in the left eye and 20-40 in the right and for the past 6 or 7 years I've used reading glasses. I'm still trying to work up the courage to let someone take a laser to my eyes.

[ma91c1an]

I was afraid, too, brother.

After all, if they fuck up, you got no back up. Your eyes are your eyes.

But doing just a little research on the web reveals that the incidence of complication is very low. This seems to be some pretty safe surgery, though I have to say that it took some discipline to hold still while the laser was toasting my eyeball. I was freaking out a bit, but I just froze, and it was over in about 26 seconds, or so the surgeon told me.

There was some hard pressure that was very uncomfortable while they cranked my eyelids open and held them that way, and I had to force myself to keep my eyeballs from wandering. It was terrifying to me when they sliced my eye and flipped the flap over. They had to apply additional anesthetic drops, to negate the involuntary blink reflex. When I felt myself needing to blink, I told them, and they dropped in more drops, and the need eased.

Total time in the clinic, complete with taking a piss, was a little over an hour.

Now that I have been through it, we will see how my sight stabilizes over the next few months. This place has a standard series of exams that they schedule for you, and if you decide that you want additional treatments, they are fucking free. All that you pay is for your meds during the procedure, and they run about $25 USD.

I would do it again, and if it turns out that my sight can be fine-tuned with additional treatments, I will do it.

If I am stuck where I am, I will not bitch about it. I am really pleased.

I have some very expensive glasses and contact lenses just sitting in the bathroom now. I no longer need them.

Lasix rocks.

[91W]

It probably has to do with the finality of Lasiks and some sort of "approved" doctors that the Army uses for Lasiks surgery. That would be my best guess.

Lasik will DQ you from rated aviation service (pilot). PRK is authorized, but you should ask ahead of time.

I think the reason Lasik is an issue is because of the way it corrects your visual problems, leaving your eye more sensitive to pressure related injuries.

I am looking for the reg, but Lasik Does not require an automatic DQ for aviation. I was a Med NCOIC for an avation unit and just recently ETSed. I believe there is a 6 Mo period before a recheck and resuming Flight Status. Like I said I am looking for the reg and will post it.

[91W]

Ok Sorry it took so long to get the info.

Here is the latest from the US Army Aeromedial Research Laboratory

http://www.usaarl.army.mil/PRKLASIK/Ref ... %20APL.pdf