Lasik – How Beneficial is it for Military Personnel

Lasik surgery is a great choice for several people opting to get vision correction and improvement in sight. The procedure is done on an outpatient basis and the person can get back to normal functions quickly after the procedure usually with no complications. Like other people, the military too can get good benefit out of the procedure. It is now quite common where people in the military get Lasik treatment to eliminate the necessity of wearing contacts or glasses.

As per estimates, around 10,000 to 12,000 military personnel wear glasses or contacts and need to keep in touch through regular checkups to see if their prescriptions have changed. This can be very cumbersome to personnel who are posted abroad and in times of war. There is also the possibility of breakage of the glasses and eye irritations when the contacts are not maintained properly. Such problems can be avoided if military personnel take up Lasik treatment and the military has been strongly recommending it to their personnel.

The advantage of this procedure is that it is very quick and done on an outpatient basis. It is very ideal for people whose vision problems are ranging from low to moderate. Using a laser, the surgeon will cut a flap in the corneal surface. From the inner layers, some amount of predetermined tissue is removed to reshape the corneal surface and bring improvement in the sight. The reflected flap is then placed back and allowed to heal. People in the military often make a choice to undergo the procedure using PRK technology. In this method, there is no necessity of creating a flap and activities after the surgery is not a concern for healing. This is beneficial to the people in the military as they have to undertake strenuous physical activities like jumping, swimming, flying, etc.

The cost of the procedure is justified by the reduction of the necessity of having to change glasses or contacts on a regular basis. This procedure is provided to military personnel at lesser costs in comparison to what it would cost to other civilians. While military personnel need to pay only $1000 for the procedure, civilians have to put up charges in the range of $1700 to $2500. Approximately, about a third of people in the military with vision problems will enjoy the advantage the procedure gives. It is advised to balance the need for the procedure and the degree of problems that exist while deciding on the treatment. Personnel involved in combat training activities generally prefer to go for the procedure.

Even the Air Force has been advising its pilots to go for the procedure. It began a program in the year 2001 to provide the treatment to its personnel. The eligible candidates are offered PRK. Lasik is given as an option only to personnel whose duties do not involve too much physical strain. Pilots cannot take up Lasik as the flap can get displaced during flight and cause some unnecessary complications.

Personnel in the Special Forces and those who need to prepare to go for combat and have to wear equipment like respirators or gas masks are recommended for surgery and are given high degree of priority. But, not all the people are eligible to go in for vision correction as they might have other systemic conditions like diabetes or arthritis that make them ineligible for the procedure.

Even though the procedure is totally optional, people who are in combat training are advised and urged to take up the treatment. When in combat, there are high chances of breakage of glasses that can cause trauma to the eyes. This was a very common phenomenon in the past. While sometimes it is still essential to wear some form of corrective lens after the procedure, the time for which it needs to be worn is significantly lesser.

Since 1995, an estimated three million Americans have had good outcome from the surgery. Even though there is a chance of some complications arising during the procedure or during healing the percentage of people who have these are quite low at around 1%.

The Congress is in favor of providing Lasik to personnel in the military. It set aside $15 million towards expenses for eye surgery provided to military personnel. This is highly beneficial to the approximate 40 percent of troops in the Air Force that depend on lenses. It is highly useful when the airmen need to jump off from planes as there are high chances that their glasses can be lost due to the winds at high altitude.

Lasik is of great help to people in the military who have to use contacts or glasses to see clearly. There is a high risk of glasses breaking while on active duty and possible threat of losing their vision altogether. Also, for people in combat the glasses might be a dividing factor in performing their duties efficiently as they might not be able to see at all without their glasses. Lasik has helped such people benefit a lot by eradicating the need to wear glasses.