Western Laser Eye Associates | Dr. Anderson Penno

Imagine being on an intense battlefield, fighting for your life and the lives of your troops. The last thing a soldier would want to think about is dropping or breaking eye glasses in a combat situation.

But many who are nearsighted or farsighted or who have astigmatism are forced to wear eye glasses or special goggles to correct their vision problems, even in combat. The ability to effectively complete missions under these circumstances can lead to injuries and lives lost. In addition, contact lenses in dusty landscapes can be hazardous to a soldier’s eyes, even when not in combat.

As a result of these hazards and to help protect the lives of military personnel, the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps now permit Wavefront LASIK eye surgery for most military personnel. One exception is that LASIK is not approved for military pilots at this time. The U.S. Navy did allow four of its aviators to undergo LASIK surgery in November of 2006, so this rule may change in the future. In addition, some Special Forces units are not permitted to undergo LASIK surgery.

Millions of people have had LASIK eye surgery since it was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1995. The fact that the military now accepts WaveFront LASIK eye surgery for its military personnel is a testament to the success of the procedure and how LASIK can help save lives on the warfront.

If you would like to learn more, please contact our LASIK office today to arrange a free evaluation.