Eye Surgery?

[Nicky the Great]

I currently wear contact lenses, and I know that in boot I will have to wear those big ol' glasses.

I would like to get PRK laser surgery done so I don't have to wear those glasses in basic, or wait around after for my surgery request to go through.

So my question is: Could I get the surgery before I enlist and still not be disqualified enlisting?

I'm planning on going 03xx, if that matters.

,Thanks

[0231Marine]

I don't know how the Army runs Basic. In Marine Corps Boot Camp though, you'll need to wait a while (at least 6 months post-op) before you can be cleared medically to ship. This is something you should ask your recruiter but I would recommend holding off on the eye surgery until you make it to your first duty station. You can get it for free in the Marine Corps.

[NoRemorse]

You can get it for free but the wait depends on how many other bodies are on the list before you.

There are also possible complications to consider before getting eye surgery prior to enlistment... like searching the forums for other threads on this topic.

In your quest to avoid BCG's you will pay around 3k nowadays, wait for at least 6 months, disclose the records from the eye surgeon and note them on your MEPS medical questionaire; then the docs get to play with your eyes...

Will there be a problem with enlisting after surgery? Depends on the amount of time it takes you to heal, how successful the surgery is, and any complications that come about from it.

[Rocky C]

In my Humble opinion I would hold off on the surgery and wear the glasses. I don't know what PRK Laser Surgery is but I know someone that had Lasik Eye Surgery performed almost a year ago and he is having some problems with light sensitivity issues. Do your Homework carefully on any type of eye surgery as you only get one pair of them in this lifetime.
Good luck to you,
Rocky

[TJR1070]

Why are you worried about wearing Birth Control Glasses in boot camp, you won't get to visit 4th Battalion while you're there!

[NoRemorse]

Why are you worried about wearing Birth Control Glasses in boot camp, you won't get to visit 4th Battalion while you're there!

He might be lucky enough to go on a world tour...

[TJR1070]

He might be lucky enough to go on a world tour...

Yea, but looking like a sugar cookie won't help him either.;)

[thewookie]

You only get one set of eyes. I've thought about it myself but I'm not getting that surgery done until the success rate is 100%. I know a guy that had it done and he still wears glasses, now it's for far-sightedness.

Why bother, why risk losing or permanently harming your eyes. :cool:

[Phantom Blooper]

The answers given are right....but do a SEARCH on this site.

This question has been posed,asked,answered and debated for years now!:evilgrin:

[Nicky the Great]

I believe a recruiter told me that PRK is the only laser surgery allowed for Infantry MOSs.
But, its not as much for looks as it is for being a constant distraction. "Oh, my glasses are covered in mud, oh wheres my glasses, oh my glasses are broken..."

But oh well. If I'm gonna have to wait like 6 months for my eyes to heal, then I wont do it after all.

[thewookie]

"Oh, my glasses are covered in mud, oh wheres my glasses, oh my glasses are broken..."

I think you'll be okay, they strap on your eyeballs now anyway - so they ain't gonna fall off, if they are covered in mud wipe them off, and if they are broken fix them or use the back-ups they give you.

Stop whining and get over it. Plenty of Marines have gone before you with much worse then what you will have.:evilgrin: