AV4Life

Pertaining to this, do you mean the waiting period is 6-months for all Myopia related cases and 12 months for far-sighted (hyperopic) individuals? Reason I ask is because I’m on the higher end of the spectrum for Myopia (near the waiverable limits for pre-op refractive surgery). And I’ve heard it could be higher depending on how high your myopia was. In addition, I’m only 1.5 years away from my Junior year in college; therefore, my FCI, AF commitment, and pilot slot are around the corner. Timing with my LASIK at this point is crucial. Thanks and good day, Addison

Copy all. Coincidentally, this month I have my annual check up at the eye doctor. So, I’ll talk to them about it, gather as much information, and potentially go on from there and start the process. Luckily, my eyes have been relatively stable the last 3 years (potentially from good diet and exercise, not sure). I’ll update again at some point with my findings, just to help any interested parties who want to read up on this.

All that sounds good. However, given my current situation as a college student (civilian) — do you think I should do the LASIK or PRK asap as a civilian, or wait to consult my ROTC detachment later down the line? Reason I’m asking is because 2 things are of concern here. #1, I’m on the severe side of Myopia and nearing the waiverable limits for pre-refractive surgery diopters. In addition, I’m 18, so I don’t want it to possibly degrade for another 2 years. #2. I’m been made aware that there’s about a 6 month wait gap for flying duties. It may, therefore, be wise to bypass that while I’m ahead. Last thing (I know you mentioned this briefly), how likely is it that doing refractive surgery on the civilian side can cause a medical DQ with the Air Force? Obviously, we want to mitigate that risk as much as possible. Sorry for so many questions, I’m quite ignorant on the subject yet have been trying to get answers on this for years. I appreciate your timely response, Steve

Quick question I wanted to add on here after reading this discussion. As someone in a similar position as you (myopia outside standard limits), would you guys recommend to get LASIK before starting OTS / ROTC? Or do it through the Air Force? I start Air Force ROTC next year and am wondering whether doing the surgery before will mess up my chances of a pilot slot? Cheers and good day.