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No you should be up front about the surgery. After OTS, but prior to UPT, students go through Medical screening at Brooks in San Antonio where they check for PRK or other surgeries. It would be a real drag to go through the misery of OTS for nothing. Although you get a free pair of sweats and a nice hair cut.

I may be reading your post wrong, are you 20/30 corrected or uncorrected? I believe the mins are still uncorrected 20/50, corrected 20/20. I was nervous about it so I memorized the 20/20 letter groups just in case i could pick out only a few.
 
Uncorrected 20/30. But this is causing a mild color deficiency, or so my optomitrist says. So I can't pass the dot test unless it is corrected. Basically I need the PRK to adjust that. Glasses or contacts won't do.

Thanks for the info.
 
The current vision limits are for 20/20 near vision, 20/70 distant. There is a waiver to be had for refractions all the way out from -3.00 to +3.00. The 20/XX is a seperate requirement from the refraction requirement (refraction being the amount of correction it takes for you to reach 20/20). Color blindness is a disqualifying condition. I'm not sure if there is a waiver for color deficiency, but without a waiver, there is only an ETP. ETP is Exception To Policy, and are very difficult to get without the backing of a wing. Even still, they are few and far between. There are very specific requirements for the AF to grant a waiver for PRK surgery. Here are the requirements for PRK:

http://www.brooks.af.mil/web/consult_service/opto_sect/files/prk/Memorandums/Aviation%20Policy%2002AUG00%20in%20sections/000802-PRK_Atch1_Applicants.pdf

As of right now an individual must ENTER UPT before their 30th birthday. There is a "waiver" around this, but it must be approved by the Air Force Chief of Staff. Very difficult unless you have a Guard/Reserve wing that is willing to push very hard for it.

Also, about getting surgery and not telling anybody.... Before you head off to UPT, you must go to Brooks AFB where they will create a detailed topographical map of your eye. Surgery will be very apparent, you can't even wear contacts for a month before the screening. When you fill out your medical history, you must check a box telling that you did/did not have eye surgery. If you lie on that form, you can be held accountable as that is a federal document. You can get in a heap of trouble.
 
Russian-
Man with those types of numbers (20/30, 20/20) I'd try to get the FC1 done without getting the surgery first. A good way to do this would be through a Reserve recruiter as they need to have the FC1 in order to send your package to the board. Active duty sends you to MEPS and a Guard unit won't do it till after they select you.
There are waivers for almost anything and I'd exhaust your options before going down the long PRK road.
Have they told you that the surgery would cure this color deficiency?
 
Remember you are going into the service to be an officer, to serve at the pleasure of the President. You will not fly that much, and you will have tons of report writing, command inspections, and other administrative duties. 2500 hours in ten years is an average military flight time. I spent 11 years on active duty and got out with 2700 hours, 800 of that in a six month period flying around Vietnam. That means in the other 10 1/2 years I got 1900 hours. Do not go into the military with an expectation of flying only.
 

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