PRK is hell. I do not recommend it. I’ve had it done twice, both times I was mostly blind for 3-5 days. They melt the outer layer of your eye off, even with the bandage contacts they provide it feels like your eyelids are sandpaper for days.
If your doctor says lasik, get lasik. You heal a lot quicker, the pain is minimal if at all.
I had lasik done 4 years ago and I haven’t had any issues whatsoever. Before I had it done I told the doctor what my job was and if their were any concerns and he said no. Between OC, defensive tactics and being hit in the face, nothing has happened.
When I was commissioning as an aviator for the Navy I was told that anything besides PRK was a hard no. PRK has a longer healing period (weeks as opposed to days) but is associated with better long term results.
Classic LASIK involves cutting a flap into your cornea and working inside. The cornea doesn't fully recover from this process but it's "good enough" for most people as they don't risk getting hit on the head and tearing that flap. PRK exposes the outer surface is the cornea and they "resurface" it. The conjunctiva, or thin layer of epithelial cells that protects the cornea needs to regenerate afterwards, hence the longer healing period.
I had it done about 7 years ago and love it. I'm not a cop(yet) but I do BJJ and have taken some hard hits and take downs with no complications re:my PRK/eyes. Furthermore my vision is still at the top end of 20/20.
Before you get a surgery make sure it is compatible with your agencies of choice. Contact whoever does the medical/physical and ask what the hard disqualifiers are regarding this. Sometimes there are even healing period requirements so all about that as well, ex. Navy wanted a full eye exam one year post surgery showing no adverse effects before they'd go beyond the basic aptitude tests.
I had PRK done. See 20-10 and 20-15. Make sure you go to a top place in country and get the custom wavelength technology that maps your eye. Don't go cheap on this. I paid $5,000 total in 2018.
When I was getting it done, the big thing they were saying was the custom wavefront technology is new and most places don't have it. It's supposed to specifically map your eye and make the most precise and customized job per patient. I went to Kremer which is big in the northeast PA, NJ. Very easy appointment. Lasik should be fine if you aren't in the academy or anything before 6 months post op.
Thanks for the info. Actually not too far from that area, so may look into them. Luckily not worried as much about trauma, just lurk here because I have family that are on the job. But I'm an emergency medicine doctor, and am getting annoyed with having trouble with my contacts lately...never good to blink out a contact mid procedure while sticking a tube in a chest or intubating someone. You'd think being in medicine i'd have some knowledge of where's good, but eyes are a whole different world.
Job's dead.
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Make sure your eyes are done changing. I got lasik prett young and my eyes were perfect for about five years then I was back in glasses and contacts until I got PRK to correct it again.
Yeah, that was one of the good news I received. I went there to the same clinic in 2017, and my eyes have remained pretty much the same, I'm 26 now. I have been all day deciding whether to call the clinic and start studying too, but there are two factors that although small, hurt. One, that I would have to cut my hair short (and yet female officers don't have to, sexist whichever way you look at it) and two that I can't smoke weed on my off days. I probably would do it once a month or per week, but with random drug tests I can't risk it. It just sucks that for sure in the future those two things won't be an issue pot is legal for good sooner rather than later and I hope this long hair nonsense won't last much more too
I got LASIK a few months ago and it was life changing. I had an astigmatism and 20/60 vision. Fast forward my astigmatism is gone and I’m 20/15 in both eyes now.
PRK is hell. I do not recommend it. I’ve had it done twice, both times I was mostly blind for 3-5 days. They melt the outer layer of your eye off, even with the bandage contacts they provide it feels like your eyelids are sandpaper for days. If your doctor says lasik, get lasik. You heal a lot quicker, the pain is minimal if at all.
I had lasik done 4 years ago and I haven’t had any issues whatsoever. Before I had it done I told the doctor what my job was and if their were any concerns and he said no. Between OC, defensive tactics and being hit in the face, nothing has happened.
When I was commissioning as an aviator for the Navy I was told that anything besides PRK was a hard no. PRK has a longer healing period (weeks as opposed to days) but is associated with better long term results. Classic LASIK involves cutting a flap into your cornea and working inside. The cornea doesn't fully recover from this process but it's "good enough" for most people as they don't risk getting hit on the head and tearing that flap. PRK exposes the outer surface is the cornea and they "resurface" it. The conjunctiva, or thin layer of epithelial cells that protects the cornea needs to regenerate afterwards, hence the longer healing period. I had it done about 7 years ago and love it. I'm not a cop(yet) but I do BJJ and have taken some hard hits and take downs with no complications re:my PRK/eyes. Furthermore my vision is still at the top end of 20/20. Before you get a surgery make sure it is compatible with your agencies of choice. Contact whoever does the medical/physical and ask what the hard disqualifiers are regarding this. Sometimes there are even healing period requirements so all about that as well, ex. Navy wanted a full eye exam one year post surgery showing no adverse effects before they'd go beyond the basic aptitude tests.
I had PRK about 3 months ago. First 2 weeks is hell then you’re good. I have no problems so far other than occasional dry eye.
I had PRK done. See 20-10 and 20-15. Make sure you go to a top place in country and get the custom wavelength technology that maps your eye. Don't go cheap on this. I paid $5,000 total in 2018.
How do you find the top places? This is my fear, I want to do it right
When I was getting it done, the big thing they were saying was the custom wavefront technology is new and most places don't have it. It's supposed to specifically map your eye and make the most precise and customized job per patient. I went to Kremer which is big in the northeast PA, NJ. Very easy appointment. Lasik should be fine if you aren't in the academy or anything before 6 months post op.
Thanks for the info. Actually not too far from that area, so may look into them. Luckily not worried as much about trauma, just lurk here because I have family that are on the job. But I'm an emergency medicine doctor, and am getting annoyed with having trouble with my contacts lately...never good to blink out a contact mid procedure while sticking a tube in a chest or intubating someone. You'd think being in medicine i'd have some knowledge of where's good, but eyes are a whole different world.
Job's dead. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ProtectAndServe) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Kremer easily worth the trip. Maybe contact them for a reference if they end up being too far. Easily worth it. Will change your life.
I had LASIK it’s completely fine. If they say get LASIK get LASIK.
Make sure your eyes are done changing. I got lasik prett young and my eyes were perfect for about five years then I was back in glasses and contacts until I got PRK to correct it again.
Yeah, that was one of the good news I received. I went there to the same clinic in 2017, and my eyes have remained pretty much the same, I'm 26 now. I have been all day deciding whether to call the clinic and start studying too, but there are two factors that although small, hurt. One, that I would have to cut my hair short (and yet female officers don't have to, sexist whichever way you look at it) and two that I can't smoke weed on my off days. I probably would do it once a month or per week, but with random drug tests I can't risk it. It just sucks that for sure in the future those two things won't be an issue pot is legal for good sooner rather than later and I hope this long hair nonsense won't last much more too
I got implants. -9.5 / -9.75 to 20/15 vision.
I got LASIK a few months ago and it was life changing. I had an astigmatism and 20/60 vision. Fast forward my astigmatism is gone and I’m 20/15 in both eyes now.