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How come laser eye surgery doesn't qualify you for some things which require 20/20 vision?

I was looking at eyesight standards for the British army and laser eye surgery doesn't count for some roles requiring 20/20 vision even when it is corrected to 20/20, does anyone know why this is and if it will change? Whats the difference between laser and prk?

Public Comments

1. Because the effects of surgery are rarely permanent and often result in serious vision complications.
2. It's because laser eye surgery is not guaranteed to be permanent and can possibly cause visual problems if your surgery wasn't perfect. A lot of people have their eyesight drift back slightly over time, and the army doesn't want to risk hiring, training, and paying someone for a role when they don't have a guarantee that you will fulfill the requirements. It is likely to change soon when laser eye surgery becomes more common and reliable.
3. I think it's because it still counts as "corrected vision" rather than naturally-perfect vision.
4. Lasik is not recognized by the military. Its still fairly new and they have not done enough studies on the long term effects. PRK on the other hand is recognized and you will be qualified with the PRK surgery.