LASIK and the Military - Chicago PRK & LASIK
Chicago, Illinois
People with jobs in the Army, Marines, Navy, and Air Force must perform a wide variety of duties in conditions that are not well-suited to wearing glasses or contact lenses. Eyewear is simply not compatible with the challenges that military personnel face on a daily basis, such as:
- Operating complex sighting systems
- Wearing night vision goggles or protective masks
- Working in bad weather, sand, or mud
The Visual Freedom offered by LASIK surgery is an attractive option for this reason, but there are qualifications that potential candidates must meet in order to be eligible for Laser Vision Correction under the Warfighter Refractive Eye Surgery Program (WRESP).
The Warfighter Refractive Eye Surgery Program (WRESP)
Each service branch has slightly different policies about LASIK and PRK. Generally, there are very few restrictions on PRK, but LASIK might be prohibited for Special Forces troops and any military personnel considering HALO or SCUBA school. (However, LASIK might be permitted for candidates who are considering Special Forces, as long as the surgery is completed prior to admittance into Special Forces.)
Assuming certain re-operative standards are met, the Marines and Navy routinely grant pilots or student aviators a waiver to fly after PRK. As long as there were no complications during the healing process and the pilots pass their standard vision tests, candidates who have had PRK can obtain a blanket waiver for:
- Combat Diving Qualification
- Special Forces Qualification
- Military Free Fall courses
PRK and LASIK are both waived for Air Assault, Airborne, and Ranger schools. However, candidates who have had LASIK eye surgery are required to enroll in an observation study to undergo training for Special Forces qualification.
If you have questions about your eligibility, you can contact your service’s Warfighter Refractive Eye Surgery Center to review specific eligibility and waiver requirements. Dr. Golden thanks the members of our military with a discount of $500/eye off of the price of LASIK and makes interest free financing for 24 months available.
If you are in the military and are qualified to have LASIK eye surgery, please contact our experienced Chicago LASIK surgeons today to schedule your free consultation. Doctors For Visual Freedom has two offices in Illinois: one in downtown Chicago, and one in Arlington Heights.
Two Locations:
Doctors for Visual Freedom Laser Center
875 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1550
Chicago, IL 60611 | Doctors for Visual Freedom Laser Center
2010 S Arlington Heights Rd, Suite 121
Arlington Heights, IL 60005 |
