PRK and Lasik eye surgery
03-06-2013, 08:21 PM
#22
Nice lookin' tree, there!
Joined APC: Sep 2006
Position: MD-11, old man
Posts: 2,197
Originally Posted by rightside02
I am looking into doing it my self, and I did a consultation with a doctor in st pete fl. DR. Updergraph And he is legit, all kinds of awards and was the first one in Asia to perform the surgery, still teaches other doctors how to perform it, but that being said he is very pricey, but then again what is your vision worth too you. ESP in our business.
Good luck
Good luck
fbh
03-20-2013, 11:45 AM
#23
New Hire
Joined APC: Jan 2013
Position: U-2 / T-38
Posts: 7
I'm in the Air Force and just had PRK done about 16 days ago. They say on average it takes about 2.5-3 months to get back on flying status. That will vary with each individual person.
I had some burning in the eyes about 24 hrs after the surgery that lasted about 1.5 days, but that's it. Some pain meds they gave me fixed that right up. The vision changes daily, but that's just part of the healing process. I have to take steroid eye drops for 4 months to keep the eyes from healing too fast so that they don't scar.
I still don't have the clarity I had with glasses yet, but they say it takes 6 months to get optimal vision. Also, that's just to be expected at the stage I'm at after the surgery.
I talked to several guys I fly with before I had it done. They all highly recommended it.
I had some burning in the eyes about 24 hrs after the surgery that lasted about 1.5 days, but that's it. Some pain meds they gave me fixed that right up. The vision changes daily, but that's just part of the healing process. I have to take steroid eye drops for 4 months to keep the eyes from healing too fast so that they don't scar.
I still don't have the clarity I had with glasses yet, but they say it takes 6 months to get optimal vision. Also, that's just to be expected at the stage I'm at after the surgery.
I talked to several guys I fly with before I had it done. They all highly recommended it.
03-20-2013, 12:16 PM
#24
Working weekends
Joined APC: Jul 2005
Position: Left Seat
Posts: 2,384
Originally Posted by Mode
I'm in the Air Force and just had PRK done about 16 days ago. They say on average it takes about 2.5-3 months to get back on flying status. That will vary with each individual person.
I had some burning in the eyes about 24 hrs after the surgery that lasted about 1.5 days, but that's it. Some pain meds they gave me fixed that right up. The vision changes daily, but that's just part of the healing process. I have to take steroid eye drops for 4 months to keep the eyes from healing too fast so that they don't scar.
I still don't have the clarity I had with glasses yet, but they say it takes 6 months to get optimal vision. Also, that's just to be expected at the stage I'm at after the surgery.
I talked to several guys I fly with before I had it done. They all highly recommended it.
I had some burning in the eyes about 24 hrs after the surgery that lasted about 1.5 days, but that's it. Some pain meds they gave me fixed that right up. The vision changes daily, but that's just part of the healing process. I have to take steroid eye drops for 4 months to keep the eyes from healing too fast so that they don't scar.
I still don't have the clarity I had with glasses yet, but they say it takes 6 months to get optimal vision. Also, that's just to be expected at the stage I'm at after the surgery.
I talked to several guys I fly with before I had it done. They all highly recommended it.
03-20-2013, 08:02 PM
#25
Slowing to holding speed
Joined APC: Feb 2013
Position: middle seat
Posts: 123
Originally Posted by Mode
I'm in the Air Force and just had PRK done about 16 days ago.
03-20-2013, 09:16 PM
#26
Working weekends
Joined APC: Jul 2005
Position: Left Seat
Posts: 2,384
03-20-2013, 11:11 PM
#27
New Hire
Joined APC: Jan 2013
Position: U-2 / T-38
Posts: 7
Satpak -- yep, they told me about the Vit. C. I've been getting at least that much every day. Thanks for confirming that this is all normal.
Nextlife -- got it done at Travis. I'm up at Beale so it was a short drive down there. Travis puts a ton of people through every week so they get lots of practice. If you pick there, you could setup your pre-op appt for Thursday morning, tour Thursday afternoon, and have the surgery the following Monday. That's there standard schedule. I'd say your eye Dr. is correct on just paying for the airfare/lodging. You'll get convalescent leave for the procedure so won't cost you any which is nice.
After the Monday Surgery, you return Tue and Friday for followup appointments. After that, all can be done back at your home base.
Good luck with it. They have tons of opening so the process can be as fast as you want. The only thing that takes a few days is getting Wright Patterson to sign off on your approval. I doubt you'll have any problem with that.
Nextlife -- got it done at Travis. I'm up at Beale so it was a short drive down there. Travis puts a ton of people through every week so they get lots of practice. If you pick there, you could setup your pre-op appt for Thursday morning, tour Thursday afternoon, and have the surgery the following Monday. That's there standard schedule. I'd say your eye Dr. is correct on just paying for the airfare/lodging. You'll get convalescent leave for the procedure so won't cost you any which is nice.
After the Monday Surgery, you return Tue and Friday for followup appointments. After that, all can be done back at your home base.
Good luck with it. They have tons of opening so the process can be as fast as you want. The only thing that takes a few days is getting Wright Patterson to sign off on your approval. I doubt you'll have any problem with that.
03-21-2013, 08:54 AM
#28
Working weekends
Joined APC: Jul 2005
Position: Left Seat
Posts: 2,384
Mode and anyone else, in April 2013 (next month) I will be at the 1 year mark. Be advised that even at month 6, my eyes weren't "perfect" again. They were about 90% there. 9 month mark, you are 95-100% fully back to normal. For a good year I took the Vitamin C and being paranoid, put lubricating drops in multiple times a day. At the 9 month mark, I installed drops once in AM and once before bed and thats kinda what I still do. Probably not needed to be honest but I feel better doing it.
I took sick time/vacation time and just my personal opinion, wouldn't go out solo flying until past 30 day mark. You can drive (again my opinion) after 1 week but probably better to wait 2 weeks. My employer was aware of surgery and I was doing admin work/etc during some of the healing. Prior to surgery I called my AME and gave him a heads up of my plans and literally prior to surgery I filled out the PDF FAA forms and gave them to the doctor and said "before we proceed, these forms will be required by FAA after we are done, any issues/heartburn/etc with that." So basically both AME and Eye surgeon were on board with FAA requirements before the laser got turned on.
My earlier posts about it
http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/pi...ery-diary.html
I took sick time/vacation time and just my personal opinion, wouldn't go out solo flying until past 30 day mark. You can drive (again my opinion) after 1 week but probably better to wait 2 weeks. My employer was aware of surgery and I was doing admin work/etc during some of the healing. Prior to surgery I called my AME and gave him a heads up of my plans and literally prior to surgery I filled out the PDF FAA forms and gave them to the doctor and said "before we proceed, these forms will be required by FAA after we are done, any issues/heartburn/etc with that." So basically both AME and Eye surgeon were on board with FAA requirements before the laser got turned on.
My earlier posts about it
http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/pi...ery-diary.html
03-21-2013, 06:36 PM
#29
New Hire
Joined APC: Jan 2013
Position: U-2 / T-38
Posts: 7
Yep, great info satpak. The eye Dr. said about 6 months to optimal vision. The Air Force just requires you to get to 20/20 and have two eye checkups with stable vision 2 weeks apart. I'm hoping that will only take about 2-3 months. Historically it's taken about 3 months on avg to get there.
03-21-2013, 07:16 PM
#30
Working weekends
Joined APC: Jul 2005
Position: Left Seat
Posts: 2,384
Originally Posted by Mode
Yep, great info satpak. The eye Dr. said about 6 months to optimal vision. The Air Force just requires you to get to 20/20 and have two eye checkups with stable vision 2 weeks apart. I'm hoping that will only take about 2-3 months. Historically it's taken about 3 months on avg to get there.
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