ABOUT THIS SERVICE
Contact:
Phone (619) 524-5515
Fax (619) 524-1731
Hours:
Mon - Fri: 0730 - 1600
Sat - Sun: CLOSED
RESOURCES
AVAILABLE AT
Primary Care Center, NTC
RELATED SERVICES
Specialty Clinics & Depts.
Ophthalmology Clinic
Our mission is to provide state-of-the-art surgical vision correction to active duty Navy and Marine Corps personnel, with emphasis on visual performance enhancement for the warfighter. We improve operational readiness and safety by eliminating the need for glasses and contact lenses. We also conduct research to evaluate new technology in surgical vision correction.
Navy.mil Refractive Surgery Video
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. How can I contact your clinic?
Unfortunately, we do not have the staffing to field questions via telephone. The best way to submit a new consult or an update is by fax or U.S. mail. Our fax number and mailing address are located on the bottom of your consult form.
2. Did you get my consult?
Please note that the consult form states that you will receive a confirmation email in approximately 4 weeks from the day that you submitted it in. Please refrain from contacting us to see if we received it until at least 4 weeks have passed from the date you faxed/mailed or hand delivered your consult. We receive hundreds of consults each week; it takes us several weeks to process all of these consults.
3. I sent my consult in 6 weeks ago, and still have not received a confirmation email.
You will not receive a confirmation email if you left your email address blank or if your writing was not legible; we are unable to process consults that are incomplete or illegible. You MUST complete all 3 sections of information on the consult (including your FULL social security number and date of birth), or it will be rejected. If you have not received a confirmation email within 4 weeks from the date you first submitted it, check your consult form for completeness and resubmit it.
4. When can I have surgery?
Surgery is not guaranteed for everyone. We accept thousands of consults every year and are only able to provide approximately 3000 surgeries per year at our facility. There are several factors that may influence our patient selection (such as requirements for our research studies, the date of original consult submission and your availability for adequate follow-up). However, we perform surgery primarily based upon the Priority Level assigned by your Commanding Officer. Priority Level 1 patients will ALWAYS have priority over Priority Level 2, 3 and 4 patients. Patients with less than 1 year of AD service remaining will not be considered for surgery. For further questions, please see the BUMED Refractive Surgery Policies:
5. Can I make/schedule an appointment for surgery?
When you are selected for an evaluation for surgery, we will make every effort to contact you. It is your responsibility to ensure that your contact number is current so that we can reach you when your turn comes up. If you are deployed or if any of your information changes (including your duty station), please update your information by fax or U.S. mail (indicate “Updated Information” at the top). Please do not call.
6. Can I check on my “status”?
If you have received a confirmation email, your consult has been entered into our database --please see questions #4 and #5 for guidance. If you have not received a confirmation email, see questions #2 and #3.
7. I need to update my consult information, how do I do that?
If you are deployed or if any of your information changes (including your duty station), please update your information by fax or U.S. mail (indicate “Updated Information” at the top). Don’t forget to write clearly so it can be read! Please wait 4 weeks for a confirmation email. Please do not call.
8. Why did my shipmate get in before me and I submitted my consult first?
Most often it is due to their Priority Level. Remember, we do not assign your Priority Level; this is done by your Commanding Officer. Sometimes people are selected based on their prescription, availability and ability to qualify for certain studies we are currently conducting. Not everyone is selected for studies or for non-study surgery. Keep in mind, if a Priority Level 1 submits a consult today, they will have priority over any Priority Level 2, 3 or 4 who has previously submitted their consult --even if it was several months to several years ago.
9. What is my number on the waiting list?
We do not have a “waiting list”. A waiting list suggests that everyone who submits a consult will get surgery. Not everyone who submits a consult will be selected for surgery. Please see question #4 for further guidance.
10. What are Priority Level definitions and who assigns my Priority Level?
A detailed description of each of the Priority Levels can be found on the second page of your consult form here: General Consult
This is the guidance that your Commanding Officer is provided to assign your Priority Level. We DO NOT assign Priority Levels.
11. Do you treat dependants and retirees?
Rarely do we treat dependants or retirees, and it is only for study purposes where an active duty person cannot be enrolled. If a dependant or retiree would like to be considered for a refractive surgery study, they are welcome to submit a consult. The chances are very remote that they will be selected, but there are a few instances where they make excellent candidates for a study. Again, if we select a dependent or retiree as a potential study participant, we will contact them directly to schedule them for an evaluation. Please do not call.
12. I was deployed/changed duty stations did I lose my number in line for surgery?
Remember, there is no “waiting list” for surgery. It is a database and we only input your information from your consult. We use this database to select our patients for refractive surgery, and those patients are selected by using the Priority Level which is assigned by your CO and listed on your consult.
13. I am changing my duty station, can you forward my consult to the nearest military refractive surgery center?
Sure! Please update your information on your consult (indicate “Updated Information” at the top) and submit it to us via fax or U.S. mail. You will receive a confirmation email that your consult has been forwarded. When there is an opening to evaluate you for refractive surgery, they will contact you directly.
14. Can I get treated by a civilian and if I do can I do my follow ups with any military refractive surgery center?
If you are on flight status, you CANNOT have surgery by a civilian provider. Please see Section 12.15, "Corneal Refractive Surgery" in the Ophthalmology section of the Navy Medicine Aeromedical Waiver Reference Guide:
http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navmedmpte/nomi/nami/arwg/documents/waiver%20guide%20-%20ophthalmology%20100505.pdf
http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navmedmpte/nomi/nami/clinical/pages/ophthalmology.aspx
If you are not on flight status and would like to have surgery by a civilian provider, it is recommended you review your situation with a military eye care provider by making an eye exam appointment prior to making any commitments.
Remember, it is your responsibility to get written permission from your Commanding Officer to have this procedure performed by a civilian provider.
15. I got treated by a civilian and need a “follow up” or a “touch up”. Can you do this for me?
You'll need to return to your civilian provider for your "follow up" or "touch up." It is recommended you review your situation with a military eye care provider by making an eye exam appointment prior to making any commitments.
16. I want to be considered for Refractive Surgery, where do I start?
Any military optometry department can help you get started. Please contact them directly to schedule an appointment for a refractive surgery consult. You can either print a form from this website or get one directly from them. Either way, it is your responsibility to fax the completed form to the number listed on the bottom of the consult or mail it in. Remember to fill it out clearly so we can input the information in our database and send you a confirmation email.
Consult can be found at the following links:
For aviation: Aeromedical Reference and Waiver Guide
For non aviation: General Consult
17. On my consult form, what is meant by “sponsor social security #”?
If you are active duty, you are the sponsor (use your social security number). If you are a dependent, this is your sponsor’s social security number.
18. Can you forward my consult to another military branch (Air Force/Army) RS center?
Other branches of the military require different consult forms. Please see the following links for further guidance:
US Air Force Medical Service Information: AF Refractive Surgery
US Army Medical Department Information: Army Refractive Surgery
19. Do you treat members of other services?
Yes, if they have submitted a Navy Refractive Surgery Consult and are within our geographical treatment area.
Other Navy Refractive Surgery Centers:
For information about Refractive Surgery at other Navy Centers, please browse the following links:
From the FDA Website Regarding Refractive Surgery
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/SurgeryandLifeSupport/LASIK/ucm061254.htm
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/SurgeryandLifeSupport/LASIK/ucm061325.htm
Other Important Links for Reference (requires CAC Login)
Navy Knowledge Online: Under "Navy Medicine-Medical Service Corps-Optometry-Refractive Surgery"
https://wwwa.nko.navy.mil/portal/navymedicine/medicalservicecorps/optometry/home/refractivesurgery