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Deploying soldiers get free LASIK priority

FORT CARSON, Colo. — Special Forces Groups and other units most likely to go to combat in Iraq will get priority in free laser or photorefractive surgery being offered to soldiers at Fort Carson.

Surgery must be done at least 90 days before a soldier deploys, the Fort Carson Mountaineer reported Friday, quoting military medical officials.

“Right now we do 500 per year. Hopefully, we will triple that amount so that all soldiers who want the procedure and are candidates for it will be able to have it done,” said Mike Ives, Eye Clinic supervisor at Evans Army Community Hospital. Ives encourages soldiers to consider having one of the procedures.

“If soldiers wear glasses that get knocked off or lost during patrol — they can be in trouble,” he said.

The Air Force Academy eye clinic recently became the first in the services to perform LASIK surgeries and allow pilots who had undergone it to fly. Pilots are not allowed to wear glasses or contacts, but there had been questions about whether their laser-repaired eyes could withstand an ejection planes flying at supersonic speeds.

The Army has eight clinics in addition to Evans that can perform LASIK surgery.