Introduction
Cadets from the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force train together before starting their service academies for pre-commission training.
LASIK is a type of eye surgery that is a laser eye surgery or laser vision correction. It is one of the best surgery. And it is the safest way to treat various eye issues. The surgeon performs this surgery using a laser to provide the cornea with the correct shape to improve vision. Patients with a thin cornea or extreme Myopia are not candidates for Lasik surgery.
According to a survey, laser surgery is both safe and valuable. There are also some dangers.
The military sets eyesight requirements. Those with refractive errors greater than a certain threshold are unfit for military service. It’s crucial to understand these needs and whether LASIK eye surgery can help you join the military.
Every first-time Defence aspirant, regular Defence aspirant, even someone hoping to pursue a career in the Defence stream has a basic question about medical standards for choice in the Defense Forces. Do Defense Forces allow Laser eye surgery? It is a question that every Defence aspirant wants to know.
All applicants who opt for LASIK or PRK eye surgery are not barred from joining the Armed Forces.
However, due to the need for a physical condition for military duty. The Armed Forces allow such applicants on a case-by-case basis, as follows:
- Candidates over the age of 20 who have had LASIK or PRK surgery can go for commission in the Army if they meet the following requirements:
- An uncomplicated, stable LASIK or PRK operation for Myopia with steady refraction for six months after the procedure.
- A retina that is in good health.
- For Myopia, correct vision should be 6/6 in the better eye and 6/9 in the poorer eye, with maximum residual refraction of + 1.50 in either meridian.
Candidates above the age of 20 are eligible for LASIK or PRK at the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune. Candidates for the National Defence Academy (NDA), Navy, and Air Force, as well as Other Rank (OR), etc., cannot go for LASIK / PRK at the entrance level (JCOs). Candidates who have had LASIK or PRK will not be accepted for aircrew jobs in the Army.
To grasp the answer in a simplified style for the essential subject –Is LASER Surgery Allowed in Defense–let’s put the question in perspective with selection in the three distinct branches of the Indian Armed Forces-Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, and Indian Army.
Indian Army
The Army considers you if you meet the following requirements:
- You’re over the age of 20.
- Uncomplicated stable LASIK/PRK laser surgery for Myopia with steady refraction for six months after the procedure.
- A healthy retina.
- For Myopia, the vision should be 6/6 in the better eye and 6/9 in the poorer eye, with maximum residual refraction of + 1.50 in either meridian.
- Axial length is within acceptable bounds.
Indian Air Force
If you meet the following conditions, you can undergo the Air Force medical exam. And surgery for eyesight correction is permissible for the Short Service Commission (Flying Branch).
- LASIK Before the age of 20, surgery should not have been performed.
- As measured by the IOL master, the eye’s axial length should not exceed 25.5 mm.
- After a stable LASIK surgery, at least twelve months should have passed. There is no history of any issues or signs of them.
- The corneal thickness after LASIK should not be less than 450 microns.
- Don’t allow people with high refractive errors (>6D) before LASIK.
- Candidates must not be color-blind or night-blind.
Indian Navy
- The Indian Navy gives permits for only one laser eye correction. Both existing pilots and NFOs and pilot/NFO candidates are eligible for LASIK and PRK laser eye surgery.
- You can apply for technical branches, aboard duty crews, and other positions.
- For Indian Navy fighter pilots, uncorrected vision cannot be poorer than 20/40 (correctable to 20/20) in each eye. However, they may reject you if you have Color blindness or Night blindness.
- Also, you can join as a transport pilot if the candidate’s eyesight is 6/6 without glasses.
Conclusion
Hence, the Indian Armed Forces allow Lasik surgery, but only under certain conditions. As the long-term result of LASIK / PRK surgery might differ, there is currently no such hint.
