Warfighter Refractive Surgery Program

Welcome!

            The US Army Warfighter Refractive Eye Surgery Program (WRESP) is a mission readiness program open to all active duty Army personnel. Since centers and surgeons are limited the WRESP sets criteria for who can receive laser surgery. National Guard and Reserve components usually do not remain on active duty status long enough to meet requirements for surgery at this time.

Here in the Southern Regional Medical Command there are two Army Warfighter Refractive Surgery Centers and two Air Force Warfighter Laser Centers that are available for use for those stationed within the region:

-Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center - Ft Hood, Texas
-Irwin Army Community Hospital - Fort Riley, Kansas

-Wilford Hall Medical Center - Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio Texas
-US Air Force Academy - Colorado Springs , Colorado

Background

Military personnel perform their duties in a variety of operational environments that are poorly suited to wearing standard spectacle glasses or contact lenses. These include operating complicated sighting systems, wearing protective masks or night vision goggles, working in rain, mud, and sand, among other challenges.

To increase combat readiness, the Department of Defense has established the Warfighter Refractive Eye Surgery Program (WRESP). Under this program, eligible active duty service members receive laser refractive eye surgery. The goal is to minimize or eliminate the need to wear corrective eyewear. Surveys from returning Soldiers who had undergone refractive surgery before deployment credit the surgery with increasing their combat effectiveness and overall confidence to perform the mission.  

All surgical procedures involve risks, and it should therefore be understood that this program is completely voluntary. No one may be coerced into having surgery due to the “needs of the service” or to fill a quota.

• What is PRK and LASIK surgery?

• How do I enroll for surgery?

• Frequently Asked Questions