hey all,

First time poster so sorry if this has been covered before.  I'm in the process of applying for the first time for guard slot, and was wondering about prk/lasik waivers for civilians applying to the ang.  I have done searches and talked to the clinic on base, and so far I am nearly as confused as when I started.  First question, as a civilian, do I need to use an air force clinic?  Secondly is lasik approved or is it still an auto dq.  I've read yes, but the recruiter I spoke with said no.  Finally, considering that I haven't even gotten the interview yet,  how much does it hurt me considering I'll be competing with those with a good set of eyes. 

Oh,  I guess to gauge how I fit;  Pilot/Nav/PCSM scores all in the mid nineties, current regional F.O, gpa 3.24, good to excellent physical health (besides my crappy eyes)

In some cases it depends on the unit you are applying to.  Some units (it seems like the ones who get a lot of applicants) are stricter as far as what they requrie for you to apply for a slot in their unit.  Some will say that only those in perfect health should apply (and they will say "no waivers") whereas others will not mention it at all, even though it probably weighs in on their decision.  I would definitely say that given two equal applicants in everything else, the one that wouldn't require a waiver would get chosen.

Thanks a bunch for the replies.  I've mentioned it to the local clinic, and had them look at my past eye exams. And so far they seem to be saying it shouldn't be a big deal.  I think I'm just trying to confirm what I've heard a dozen times.  My eyes are beyond the 20/200 limit, but within the max for a prk waiver.  I guess my biggest questions seem to be the civilian v. military doctor performing the surgery, and the LASIK v. PRK question.  Alot of this is premature I suppose but I am planning on having the procedure done sometime this summer, right after the boards, (that is if I even get offered an interview ) and was wondering if anyone who has gone through this before could offer some insight as to the timing of everything. 

The AF aerospace med standards are a dicey thing. What civilian docs will thik are trivial issues can be absolutely critical to flight surgeons. The Flying Class physicals are long drawn out exams where if you aren't sick going into it, you will feel sick at the end of it.....

A bit too much gloom and doom don't you think? I felt good after my initial flying class I physical and the attitude of the evaluators at Brooks AFB was a positive one.  They do not want to fail you.  They will exhaust all of their resources that they have (and they have alot) to make sure that if they do disqualify you for something, it is for something legitimate.  Look into the regs if you would like or call around to your FAA examiners in the area...maybe one of them was a flight surgeon (especially if there is a FSDO around)....?  If they have the time, they would be an awesome resource to have along with the sites that alsiedes mentioned. 

I appreciate all the input guys.  I did look at those websites and they were very helpful.  To my untrained eye, it appears that I should meet all the requirements for a waiver.  I've done all those tests before, and though I have no idea what the hell the numbers mean, it looks like I don’t exceed them, or do...which ever is better .    Another question I should have asked is if one were applying to a upt board this year, for a fy10 slot, when should one (me) expect to have to begin medical screening.  More specifically, is it more typical to have the surgery done and the waiver in hand before one applies to the guard.  I only ask because, though it is required, I am currently a civilian pilot in the regionals and am not very keen on having lasers near my eye sooner than I have too.  I planned on doing it this summer right after the board, so that at least one year will have passed before I start upt.  Any input from someone who has first hand experience would be greatly appreciated. 

hey man...good luck on the selection. I will give my input here and hopefully it helps. I work for a LASIK eye surgeon and have had several pilots (and wannabes) in the office. Some are in your shoes and are trying for a slot, but a couple are actually already in the Guard. I THINK (and understand this is just how I understand it) that the overall ban on LASIK has been lifted, but it still depends on the unit you are applying with. I spoke to a guy a couple of weeks ago who had LASIK surgery with us and has already been picked up by a unit and is getting ready to start UPT. He has already gone through his physicals, so I am sure they would have weeded him out by now. I think that PRK is still preferred, as it generally cuts down on glare and halos. I have not heard anything about only doing PRK if you are 20/200 or worse. We certainly have people that are not that bad that have PRK for one reason or another.

Hope that helps you. I have my first interview with a board next month so I am pumped!