Got the Eyes Fixed- Sort of

[MTT TL]

Well, I am now finished with the first week of healing from PRK surgery. The dominant eye is 20/20 and the non-dominant is 20/40.

This is worlds ahead of where I was at 20/90.... 20/120 pre-surgery.

They say the NDE might get better in the next few months, then again it might not. Either way I plan on not wearing glasses anymore.

My question is if things stay the way they are am I better off closing the NDE or leaving it open? The reason I ask is I am headed back for my (hopefully) last deployment.

- Will have a standard M4 with M68 and M9 with CT grips.

- Don't expect to do much shooting this tour, but I didn't expect to last tour either and that did not work out as well as planned.

- I will be wearing standard eyepro, but no corrective lenses.

- Have not been to the range yet but I normally shoot expert on both by Army standards. This is fair to middling by competition standards.

[Matt19]

1) Continue to follow the surgeon's post op procedures.
2) You will have to experiment with what works best for you.

[Dragon55]

I agree. Try both ways. I bet you'll do better using method you've always used. We are creatures of habit after all.

AND......... Thank you very much for your service and may God be watching out for you. I hope you don't have to fire any rounds with hostile intent this time.

Semper Fi

[Stevie-Ray]

1) Continue to follow the surgeon's post op procedures.
2) You will have to experiment with what works best for you.

This. And I would add 3) After following 2), don't let anybody tell you, "You're doing it wrong."

Thank you for your service and may God watch over you and keep you safe.

[MTT TL]

Thank you for your kind words. As my vision is getting better I notice that the short vision is getting worse. This was expected and the surgeon said it was very likely.

For handguns this is not an issue. For rifles the front site post is a bit blurry. Are there any tricks for dealing with this? I will likely use an M68 optic 95% of the time but still have to qualify with the iron sites too.

[ActivShootr]

I would recommend corrective saftey glasses. Trying to make your eyes adjust between near and far might get you in trouble you in a bad situation. Do alot of shooting at various distances before you get back into the frying pan.

Just friendly advice.

[Whirlwind06]

20/40 is not bad vision. You'll pass a diving test with 20/40 in both eyes. I have bi-focal contacts that give me pretty much the same vision that you have. I have had no problems shooting with both eyes open.
I switch back and forth (NDE closed or not) depending on the distance of the shot.

[Old Grump]

Ditto the glasses. You got your eyes fixed now keep them fixed. Prescription shooting glasses with the weak eye brought to 20-20 will help you focus on that front sight with hand gun or long gun because the basic distance is nearly the same. If you learned both eyes you really should try and stay with both eyes. Without mine I am just slightly better than average, with them I don't want me shooting at me, It is a huge difference and I am in the 20-40 range too. Prescription sun glasses and tinted shooting glasses in yellow or amber and blue or smoke with safety lenses will keep you in the game no matter what you run into.

[Doc TH]

You will have to experiment. As commented above, 20/40 is not a big problem. Also you may find that a peep (receiver) sight will give a big depth of field, and fix the front sight blurriness. Another possibility is a variable focus eyeglass prescription ("Varilux") that will address near vs. far focus. But it is likely that you will have to experiment to find what is best for you. As was noted above I would not encourage changing your usual technique to compensate for your "new" vision.

[Hard Ball]

I am glad it worked out well for you.

[MTT TL]

Another update.

My distance vision in both eyes is now solidly 20/20. My short vision is blurry closer than 9". I have noticed when shooting with a red dot scope the red dot is not blurry, unlike a rear rifle site post. This is great and makes me happy. I am thinking I will switch most of my long guns to either a large eye relief scope or red dot scopes.

In the end I am another to highly recommend the PRK surgery. I certainly don't miss messing with corrective lenses, and I can see great to shoot.

[Brit]

Got my Laser surgery in 1990, in Toronto Canada. OUCH! The way then was right on the outside, first day, bad! two more not so good, then fine.

My Wife only agreed when the no pain method came in, 12 years ago?

Also you may find that a peep (receiver) sight will give a big depth of field, and fix the front sight blurriness. Good quote already.

Adrenalin tends to cure shutting one eye! Try always to keep both open, you will get more and more comfortable as time goes on. Protect those nice new eyes, Goggles! Use the sighting system that gives you quickest first hit.

9" reading distance? Great. I now need reading glasses, but at the age I will be in ten days, 75! Can not complain.

Shooting situations can happen as soon as boots hit dirt, you can relax, somewhat, over "Home" when you get back. Thank you for your service, be Safe.

[Stevie-Ray]

I just tested the other day at the hospital at 20/10. This is what I generally was when I was in my teens and 20s. Of course I still need reading glasses, though. They're getting old, but they still work.