Lazer Eye Surgury

[Ty]

I have read the response from the RM's that lazer eye surgury is accepted, and what they do accept. Here in Canada there is a good place that cost $499 per eye, which Im looking into getting.

However, has anyone had the surgury and been accepted yet ?. They say it's still on a per person basis. I dont want to get surgury, and then find out I still won't be accepted, that I should of paid more for something better.

Anyone have any information or stories ?.

[SNiDE]

$499 per eye? Make sure you have enough to get em both done at once mate

[Ty]

haha, roger that buddy. My older brother is going to be a police officer, he might be taking the expensive route, $2500 per eye !!. I want to make sure what I get will be sufficent to join the RM.

[fubar84]

The price per eye depends on what condition/problem you have. One of the opticians in UK offers Laser eye surgery from £399 per eye but for me it would have cost over £1000 per eye, so I'd imagine the quote you were given was the base price.

There are 3 (maybe 4?) different types of laser eye surgery, with the main two being LASEK AND LASIK. The Navy will only consider you if you have a certain type of surgery. I can't remember which but it's because in one they cut your eye with a scalpel first, in the other they use a laser for the full procedure. Also, all types of laser surgery (aside from Wavefront - which is the most expensive) have a high chance of affecting night vision, with the most common problem being increased amounts of glare from any light source.

To top it all off to be considered for entry into the Forces you must meet this criteria:

1) You corrected vision (eyesight with your specs on) before laser surgery must be within the accepted range to be considered for training.

2) The laser surgery you have must be a certain type (LASEK or LASIK, can't remember which)

3) Upon completion of the surgery you have to have an eye test, your application to join up is deferred for 1 year, when you will then have another test. In that year if your eyesight has changed for the worse from your test you had after surgery, then you will not be able to join up.

From what I've heard from speaking to various folk in the forces the easiest way (and quickest from a date of entry point of view) is to get in, pass out of basic and then get the surgery done a year or so down the line. The thinking being that they're not going to sideline you for a year once your in.

[Ty]

Thanks for the information so far guys, it's been priceless. Im from Canada, so its not really efficient for me to contact a recruiter and ask them questions.

I guess I should see my eye doctor and see what he says. I need new glasses as it is. Im pretty much blind without them. Not so bad, because I have been wearing the same pair of glasses since I was 16 - 17, and now Im 25, so my eyes have not really gotten much worse.

I was not aware of 1) You corrected vision (eyesight with your specs on) before laser surgery must be within the accepted range to be considered for training. I guess I should go get checked with this before eye surgury.

What are the numbers that need to be accepted before surgury?. If I can get those I can print them off, then go see my optometrist and see if I pass. If I do, then I can go ahead with my surgury. It's a pain because the embassy for recruitment for the RM's in Canada is 3 hours away, so its a full day to drive there and back for a few questions.

[Ty]

Sorry to keep bothering you guys about this, however, it is very important to whether I apply or not. I did notice the following on the RM's main webpage.

http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/sho ... geNav/3533

It says, you are immediately rejected if " e. You have ever had a detached retina or corneal transplant, or had surgery to improve vision. "

So you cannot have lazer surgury ?. I heard you could. Perhaps they have not updated the site ?. Does anyone have any CONCRETE answers, or know of anyone I can speak to from Canada, or call abroad to find out 100% what you need done ?.


Thanks Again !

[fubar84]

Yeah, ring any Armed Forces Careers Office. Numbers are listed on the Navy site.

[fogarty]

My vision is a bit dodgy, I have an astigmatism but thankfully to my relief it's still good enough to be allowed.

The optician's report has three criteria to which you're assigned depending on your eye sight. I can't remember the exact details but roughly: 1 - good, 2 - not too bad, and 3 - not good. I would've been criteria 1 but the astigmatism put me into the second and I use to have really bad eye sight (which has steadily gotten better, but I don't wear glasses anymore even though I really should).

So if I were you, request the optician's report and see what exactly your vision is like (in RM terms) because you might not even need the surgery.

[fubar84]

Mine's similar: astigmatism, vision unaided - Category 1, vision corrected - Category 3.

[rm1664]

I wear glasses and contact lenses and im interersted in getting laser surgery but when i phoned my afco they told me i defo wouldn't get in if i went ahead with it for the simple reason eye surgery hasnt got a 100% success rate.

so that settles it ill stick with glasses and lenses

[fubar84]

Quite frankly your AFCO's advise is outdated. All of the Armed Forces allow laser eye surgery, though it can restrict what job you do.

The surgery must be of a certain type (Lasik or Lasek, can't remember) and your vision before surgery must be of an acceptable standard (corrected) to join the forces. Further to that, once you have the surgery your prescription must remain the same for 11 months. You will then be allowed to apply again to join.

I got that info from a Navy pdf file about a year ago.

[therobmeister]

There is a list of criteria that you have to meet to be accepted after having laser surgery, including it being at least 12 months since the op and with everything being stable .

The kinds the RN/RM currently accept are LASIK, LASEK, PRK, and PARK.
I know because i had LASIK and was worrying i wouldnt be accepted, but i was ok and have passed my medical.

Hope that helps

[tkdvipers]

Don't want to hijak the thread, just thought I'd tag this on.

When I applied last year the afco gave me a form for the optician to fill out, this was because I didn't live near one od their chosen opticians.

DO they still give you the form or do the optician now contact the afco directly.

I also wondered if people had noticed a different in the detail opticians go into as I've had eye tests before where they carried out only the snellen test and the Ishihara test and that was it, but others where they were shining lights in me eyes and all sorts.

Just wanted to draw on peoples experience really.

[Ty]

can they tell if you have had surgery ?. If you said your eyes were fine and never brought it up I assume you dont have to wait 12 months.