ThE sPaCeCoWbOy

I just found out that the job I am going for requires that my eyesight cannot excede 20/200. I can get corrective eye surgery and still get in. My question for you guys/gals, is what are my options. What is the best way to go. My mother had it done but she had the scalpel that cut down on the eye and from what i hear is out dated. If anyone can give me advice on what the best way to go, I would appreciate it.

Thanks,
space

Mike Keogh

Hey Space
I had the scalpel job(RK) done nine years ago. Initial results were terrific. I went from 20/2000 to 20/20. But gradually I became farsighted and eventually it brought on early cataracts. I suggest you do some research on the web for complications and look at it real conservatively. In any case I wish you well.

ThE sPaCeCoWbOy

Thats what my mother had was the RK....but from what i hear, that is oudated and the eye doctor suggested something else...

I was wonder, when you had it done, what limitation did you have? How long before you could stop wearing those sunglasses they give you? Can you wear other types of sunglasses other then the ones they give you? How often were your appointments?

SidViscous

Cowboy.

Most important thing is to investigate the doctor as much as possible.

Lot of hacks out there. It's your eyes, don't skimp on price.

Mike Keogh

Space
I had almost no complications at the time. I didn't need sunglasses or anything else. It was real wierd being able to see my own feet with out my coke bottles. I understand the new laseks surgery is much better but RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH and then ask a lot of questions and do not shop for price, shop for reputation and experience.

Brian McCoy

I had a friend go through the modified version of RK just last year. Said that it was a more complicated procedure than the 'Lasik' (ther's on with an 'I' and one with an 'E' - not sure which is whice) and required more recovery but there were fewer immdiate negative effects and no known long-term issues.

The Univ. of Phoenix is testing with the newest of corrective eye surgery options. It was designed with the idea of high-powered telescope optics in mind but worked out well with eyes too. When I was reading about it (6 months back or so?), of the 20 gunea-pigs they'd tested on, not one of them was worse than 20/15 (on was something like 20/6). While long-term issues aren't known, don't toss out the newest forms without looking.

And, just as everyone else is saying - do your homework. You get to make this choice Once, you can pay for it once or pay for it the rest of your life, day in and day out.

iloveporsches

I've heard that once you get it done, they can no longer test your eyes for glaucoma.

My dad had it done maybe 3 years ago now. His only problem is that he needs reading glasses.

Manning

From what I have read, RK can lead to hardening of the cornea and significant degredation of sight on down the road.

Lasik basically uses a laser to reshape the lens. A flap is cut in the cornea which is then flipped out of the way so the laser can do its thing. From what I have read the doctor controls the whole process. However, researchers are working on a way to use holographic imaging to map the lens. A computer will then control all of the reshaping of the lens.

There are side effect. One is the potential for far sightedness. Another stems from the fact that they have to fold back you cornea. If the cornea is not returned perfectly it can lead to an irregular surface which can improperly refract light. As a result you wind up with a deminished ability to see in low light (night blindness).

There is research going on in the UK about this. Oddly this turned up as a result of the fact that you have to take a night time driving test to get your drivers license. I guess someone started to notice an increase failure rate around the time Lasik started to become more common and found a distict connection between the two.

Like Sid said, it's your eyes...

David Floyd

As stated above check out the Doc's rep.

You want Lasik and not RK.

You want a Visex S4 laser or newer.

Not much long term data, like Mike said he developed early cataracts, but was that because of the RK? Hard to tell we see early cataracts on a weekly basis with out any prior surgery

Don't fall for the $299 specials, there are hidden costs.

I am thinking about it for myself, can have it done for $0 with a Doc that my Optical Shop is affiliated with but since I make and sell glasses I feel I should wear what I make.

One thing you have to remember this is surgery and with any surgery there are risks, most people that have it done are happy but I have seen some bad results also.

The US Military has now approved Lasik for Pilots.

Good luck from your Rennlist Optician.

Matt O.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">The US Military has now approved Lasik for Pilots.
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Don't know about that!!

Where did you get this information from? I know they do Lasik for SOME jobs in the military, and they pay for it if you are active and it will better your job performance (infantry, etc)...

But last I heard, you better not have your eyes touched if you want to fly, at least in the AF and I'm pretty sure the Marine Corps and Navy or more stringent.

Where did you get that info?

Thanks,
Matt

ThE sPaCeCoWbOy

I'm not looking for it for my military occupation but for FBI...military already knows I'm blind, and they already disqualified me for almost every job....

From what I was told by the eye doctor i see, the lasik is the way to go....

boy, what I would do for 20/6 vision....that would be nice, but I don't know if the Morgantown, WV area has anything that up to date....

I tried searching for place in this area, but cant come up with no more then 1 place....anyone want to help?

thanks,
space

David Floyd

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">But last I heard, you better not have your eyes touched if you want to fly, at least in the AF and I'm pretty sure the Marine Corps and Navy or more stringent.

Where did you get that info?

</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Ft. Campbell was taking bids for there lasik, our Doc put in a bid, guess I should say not sure who can have it done, I have heard it was approved for pilots?

Devia

I wanted to be a Shuttle Pilot, when I graduated from High School. So, I went to take the tests at the Air Force recruiting office, and they loved me. Everything was great, except one little, tiny problem. I am near sighted! I had looked into having surgery, then going back, but I heard stories, and I'd have to hide it from the Air Force.

So, I passed on joining the Air Force.

Now, fast forward to last year: my friend had the Lasik surgery, and she has no problems, even at night. She has encouraged me to do it, but I don't want to lose any night vision! I know the statistics are low, but it concerns me enough to not do it yet.

Eventually, I'll have to, when I can't see what I'm drawing without my glasses anymore.

Research it well, and be cautious. I'd check with the BBB, with anyone you are considering. Also, you want a doctor who has done a lot of them, not just starting! Experienced doctor is a must.

Hope this helps!

- Julie

qoncept944

I'm in the Air Force and went to the opthalmology clinic a couple months ago. The military DOES NOT do lasik. Military does PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy) which is said to be much safer than the old RK. The doc's quick and dirty -- "Simliar results to lasik, but it hurts and its safer." He said you can expect to still have poor vision and it'll regain over about a months time to about as good as it's going to get. The Air Force (and I'd imagine most anyone) schedules checkups at something like 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 6 months and a year. PRK uses a laser, but rather than cuttling a flap in the cornea, it scuplts cornea tissue to a shape that will refract light properly. From a physics standpoint, it makes the most sense to me. <a href="http://www.prk.com/whatisPRK.html#PRK" target="_blank">http://www.prk.com/whatisPRK.html#PRK</a>

I'd love to do it, and I can get it done for free. I'll have to go without my contacts for a month and wear glasses before I go for my secondary qualification visit at the doctor, which I'm not looking forward to. I know I haven't researched enough yet, and I'm not positive I want to leave my vision to a military doctor. I'll probably start wearing the glasses around october or so when its not so hot out. Let us know what ya do..

qoncept944

Oh, as for who can have it done in the military.. pretty much anyone. You need a signature from your commander and you're good to go. The easiest way is to go downtown and find your doctor, which isn't really an option for poor ol me. If you want it done by the military, you do your preliminary tests and then submit an application to a center that does it (AF Academy in Denver, Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS, Wright Patterson in Ohio, Lackland in San Antonio, Travis somewhere in California). They'll review it and tell you if you're approved or not, and there are 4 priority levels. High priority are pilots and people on stand by for deployment, low priority is me sitting on a computer programming.