PRK/LASIK BEFORE JOINING

[DMANN]

OK heres the deal. I have real bad vision 20/300 in one eye and 20/100 or something like that in the other. Now i know i need better vision then that to get the SEAL challange contract but my recruiter is telling me i cant get my vision fixed out side the military and if i do theres a really good chance i wont be able to join any branch of service if i do. So i call up the Navy refractive surgery center found on the sealchallange website and he says get my vision fixed on the out side just make sure you have all the pre opp stuff and post opp stuff. So now i have 2 diffrent things to do and he also told me that if my vision changes to quick in a 1 month period i probably wont be able to get in. Are there any SEALS out there that can tell help me out with this just tell me what you know. But i think im going to take my chances getting them done outside of the military cause 1 i dont want to wait 3 years to get them done inside the military and 2 the navy doctor said you want the contract. ANY ADVICE is helpful...

[elpaninaro]

Every recruiter has a different story.

I did the PRK on my own and that is the only way I would do it personally.

You have to wait, if I recall correctly, 6 months after the surgery to be evaluated by the Navy to determine if your vision has been permanently corrected and get the waiver (you still need a waiver for PRK.) So think logically- the recruiter is gonna have to wait 6 months to sign you if you do it on your own. So right there they have an incentive to tell you to wait and get you in the Navy NOW.

I would recommend you get out the blue pages and call the Naval Department in DC. Get the phone # for the SEAL detailer's office and talk to them about what the current rules are. When I last checked before I did PRK, the rule was you could do it on your own but had to wait 6 months and then get checked by a Navy doctor.

Here is the other problem with waiting until you join- you cannot get orders to BUDs until you have done the surgery AND had the 6 month wait. BUDs is damn hard to get, so best to walk in there as prepared as possible I think. You could easily have to wait 2-3 years to get the Navy to do PRK for you. Again remember, you are asking them to give you elective surgery so you can try out for an elite program with tons of applicants that is hated by much of the regular Navy. It will not be easy to go this route, and you will not get the SEAL challenge deal which is your closest shot to guaranteed BUDs orders.

Whatever you do, get a damn good doctor to do it. Not only for your own sake, but so the Navy will have evidence that it was done properly by someone who knows what they are doing. The cost can be as much as $2,500 per eye from the best- but remember this is your EYES and your CAREER.

When I had my PRK, I was 20/375 and 20/200. Within a week I was 20-15 in both eyes and it has been awesome ever since. The worst that can happen assuming the procedure is done correctly is that your vision goes back to where it was. Worse could happen- but to date that is as bad as it has been. So the risk is relatively low- especially compared to older procedures.

Be careful about LASIK too. At the time I had the PRK, LASIK was still new and not yet allowed by the Navy. So be sure that one is allowed if your doctor thinks that is the better option.

As far as other branches of the service, you have been told correctly to my knowledge. Last time I checked the Navy was the only branch that allows PRK for enlisted, OCS and Special Forces (ie SPECWAR with regards to the Navy.) So be careful, getting this done may limit your options.

[DMANN]

Hey thanks for the info that helped me alot. Im basically doing what your doing and getting it done out side i know its a risk cause if my eyes change too quick or what not im sol and there goes my chance to try out or ever join but im willing to risk it for the sealchallang contract. But hey thanks again it was really appreacated. Now i just gotta figure out how to get that damn math score up there on the asvab.

[elpaninaro]

Sure thing dude. Good luck with it. The procedure is really easy and you should be back to normal very quickly.

As for the ASVAB, get yourself a good basic book on physics and review that. I took one of those nutty tests a while back (but I think it might have been one for OCS, not sure if it was the ASVAB or not) and it had been 4 years since I had taken a science class since I placed out of those in college. The physics review got me a much higher score the second time.