Their corrected vision improves of course, that's the whole point. The surgery improves or eliminates the refractive error (caused by the shape of the cornea). But this process has to cut or shave the cornea (internally or externally depending on LASIK vs. PRK). The cutting and subsequent healing can leave a little scare tissue...which interferes with light passive. It's almost impossible to do the surgery without at least a little degradation, although you may not notice it. Other folks lose one or even two lines on the eye chart. I know one airline guy who was so badly damaged that he lost his medical and became a career sim instructor. they said he needed corneal transplants but the medical plan wouldn't pay.

Imagine a camera telephoto lens...if the image is blurry you can adjust the refraction by twisting the knob. But if the lens is scratched up with sand, no amount of refractive adjustment is going to give you a perfect image.

 

So I have been searching this forum and a few others and it seems 50/50. Some say to get the surgery pronto (before application) while others say to wait until you get in. But what if I cannot pass the first class physical? Then I sort of need to get the surgery right away?

Also I saw a few posts where people said they flew with glasses? Now I want to fly fighters, I was pretty sure glasses are not allowed. Does this mean they must be talking about tankers?

 

Many people fly fighters with glasses and/or contacts. You need to contact a Flt Surgeon and find out what the reg. says about initial flt qualification requirements prior to surgery. Do not rely on advice from this forum regarding this issue, none of us have access to the current guidance that is in place. If you are going to visit a guard unit, I would suggest talking to their flight surgeon. Do no talk to the airman behind the desk or optometrist only the flight surgeon. Good luck. Please keep in mind that there are numerous other Air Force eye test that you have never seen that can disqualify you.

 

I had PRK (USAF, Keesler AFB) about 3 months ago. It hasn't been a pleasant experience. I was about -2.5 in each eye, correctable to 20/12. Now I'm about -.75 in each eye, correctable to 20/20. Having said that, it appears that I'm in the bottom 1% of PRK results - all of my friends boast of their uncorrected 20/15 or better vision. On one hand, PRK got me to about 20/30 and I can do a lot of things without glasses. But on the other - if PRK goes bad, it goes really bad. Just google PRK or Lasik disaster and do some light reading.

 

As Riddler says, it definately can get worse. Though it seems relatively rare. As you go through the process you will be told roughly 3 million times that the surgery will most likely make you need reading glasses earlier than you would have had you not had the surgery.

I had it two months ago, I was 20/100 in worst eye. I'm seeing better than 20/20 now (wavier signed last week--sweet!) but I can definately tell I'll be needed reading glasses at some point. Very small print takes a little effort, never needed that before the surgery.

There were three of us in my office that got it the same time, two of us are 20/20 or better. The third guy....his eyes definately improved over what he had but he's still hanging around 20/40 or so. When they say it can take up to 6 months to stabilize I guess they know what they're talking about.

Definately talk to a military flight doc before getting the surgery. I know people that got PRK before coming in, and they were obviously able to pass the physical. But I recall extremely painful wavier processes. I would also point out, there is a very small but very real risk the surgery won't work well and you'll permanely lose any chance you had of flying in the military. I had to decide I was willing to risk never flying again before I signed the papers. I have a lot of friends who hate their glasses/contacts, but aren't willing to take the chance. PRK/Lasik can seem like a miracle, but there's no guarentees with it.

Riddler--good luck, sorry it's not working so great. Hopefully it'll stablize at a better level.

 

So if I do happen to have 20/70 uncorrected it would be best to just fly with contacts/glasses if possible. Got it.

 

Yes, exactly. Do not risk getting surgery that may cause unwanted results and possibly disqualify you permanently. If you're worried about passing the flight physical, your distant visual acuity is the last of your vision worries. I would be worried about all of the other vision tests you get at medical flight screening at Brooks, like the red lens test, depth perception, cornea mapping, etc. As long as you can read the big E at the top without glasses, and the 20/20 line with them, you'll pass that part no problem.

 

Hahaha thanks for the advice guys! Also I am working on applying to a local FBO as a "line service technician" any advice on getting the job? Or what you think about the job in the first place?

 

I like doing line service. Pumping fuel is easy work. Talking to pilots is easy conversation. Between planes there's usually lots of downtime. The generous people give tips, and canceled flights will leave you with free catering. It doesn't pay great obviously, but if your college like I am the job is about as good as you could ask for

 

How did you come about obtaining your job? I never see any listings in the newpaper, online, etc. I am totally up for driving into all of the local FBO's and such and turning in an application but I just didn't know if these jobs rarely came around or what?