Is LASIK Allowed in the Indian Army?

What is Lasik Surgery?

It is a form of surgery that treats Myopia, Hyperopia, Foresightedness, and Astigmatism in patients. Ophthalmologists perform this surgery with the help of a laser to give the cornea the correct shape to improve vision. But patients with a thin cornea or extreme myopia can not undergo Lasik surgery. To show the reliability of the Lasik surgery, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) collected the data in 2006 to support its safety. According to NICE, lasik surgery is safe and beneficial for the correction of refractive problems.

There are also certain risks associated with LASIK surgery, like:

1. Change in contact lenses and glasses.
2. Use of certain medications or medical conditions.
3. Infections, for example, can cause some eye disorders.
4. Many patients complained that they experienced eye dryness, sensitivity to light, and impaired vision after the operation.

How Does LASIK Surgery Get Performed?

The cornea is our eye’s outermost layer; it bends or refracts the incoming light, focusing the beam and allowing us to see clearly.

Ophthalmologists reshape each patient’s cornea according to a predetermined pattern.

1. The doctors will begin by numbing the eye using drops.
2. They then create a corneal flap with the use of a laser.
3. A computer-controlled laser sends light pulses into the eye.
4. The surgeon then restores the flap, allowing our eyes to recover.
5. You’ll probably have a fuzzy vision and light sensitivity for a few days afterward.
6. Your eyes will take 2-3 months to recover.

If you wish to join the Indian armed forces and serve your country, but you wear spectacles, it is understandable that you might wonder whether you can apply for the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, or Indian Navy. So the answer is yes, but you will need to take the help of LASIK or any vision correction surgery.

There are various requirements for LASIK surgery, so let’s go over them in-depth and understand everything.

Rules for LASIK Surgery in Indian Armed Forces

Rules in the Indian Army

1. Candidates who have performed one LASIK procedure are eligible to join the Indian Army. But it would be best if you got treated after the age of 20. And, your eyesight must be 6/6 without glasses after the operation.
2. After any surgery for eye correction, you must have a healthy retina.
3. With a 6/6 vision, INDIAN ARMY will qualify to join any branch. Except for Army Aviation.
4. However, because the maximum age for joining NDA is 19, the Indian Army does not permit LASIK surgery.

Rules in Indian Navy

1. Indian Navy permits only one laser eye correction.
2. Indian Navy allows both existing pilots and NFOs and pilot/NFO candidates to get treated with LASIK and PRK laser surgery.
3. You can apply for technical branches, onboard duty crews, and other positions.
4. The Indian Navy accepts a stricter standard of merely 0.75D, but they exclude people with color blindness or night blindness.
5. Uncorrected eyesight for Indian Navy fighter pilots should not be worse than 20/40 (correctable to 20/20) in either eye.
6. If your eyesight is 6/6 after using glasses or without them, you can serve as a transport pilot.

Rules in the Indian Air Force

1. The Air Force permits just one laser eye correction.
2. To become a pilot (fighter), you must have excellent eyesight to perceive and react swiftly. Therefore, the candidate’s vision must be 20/70 or better.
3. To be eligible for Navigator Training, a candidate’s vision in each eye must be no worse than 20/200.
4. If your eyesight is 6/6 after wearing spectacles, you can join the technical branches’ ground staffs officers.

These are the LASIK Surgery rules of the Indian Armed Forces. Choose a reliable surgeon for your operation because a tiny error can quickly escalate into a significant issue.

You can choose to treat your eyes with an eye laser operation in Delhi, as you will find the country’s best doctor there.

What to Expect After Surgery?

1. Your eyes can experience burning, sting, or excessively watery the day following surgery.
2. For the following 12 hours, you can have a foreign body sensation in the operated eye(s).
3. Over the following two months, your eyesight can vary (especially with reading or using a computer).
4. At first, you may notice a loss of detail because of glare and starbursts at night.
5. The above symptoms are transient and usually fade over 15 days to 2-3 months, depending on the individual’s healing capabilities.

Post-LASIK surgery Precautions

You must follow these instructions strictly as recommended to ensure that your eyes heal properly and that you restore your vision.

1. DO NOT massage or pressure your eyes, and DO NOT rub or contact them.
2. Follow the eye drop dosage instructions (we give eye drops for the initial post-LASIK phase) and place the drops in your eye as directed. Please cleanse your hands before using eye drops, ideally with the help of someone else. Before using, give the eye drop container a good shake. You can also use artificial tears can as frequently as necessary.
3. Take as much rest as possible. Expect discomfort, redness, tears, light sensitivity, and minor swelling for 6 to 8 hours following the operation. Your vision will get blurry for most of the day.
4. You must shield your eye for the day. While sleeping or resting, wear protective eyewear to avoid unintended eyes touching.
5. Your vision will get functional by the following day. However, because the healing is occurring in the line of sight, vision may be a little hazy on some days and crystal clear on others. This variation lasts roughly 7 to 10 days on average.
6. For a few weeks, use sunglasses when outside.
7. Showering, bathing, exercising, sunbathing, reading, internet usage, driving, and wearing eye make-up are all things you should avoid until your doctor tells you to.
8. For a month, avoid “knuckling” the eyes and swimming.