Are people with astigmatism allowed into the army? The answer is here!

Mikheeva Ekaterina Head of the legal department of the Assistance Service for Conscripts in St. Petersburg

Many conscripts who have vision problems have thought at least once: what category of fitness will the ophthalmologist at the military registration and enlistment office give them and whether they will have to serve. In this article I will tell you whether someone with astigmatism will be accepted into the army and will teach you how to correctly read the results of refractometry to determine your fitness category.

What is astigmatism

If the shape of the lens or cornea is curved, then this condition is called astigmatism. When the lens is curved, a person suffering from such a disease sees objects blurred and distorted. The gaze cannot focus on a specific object, and distance does not play any role; in any case, the objects in question will be fuzzy and blurry. That is, astigmatism is a pathology in which the “picture” is projected onto the retina incorrectly. It is noteworthy that a person suffering from such a disease may develop strabismus over time, and in the absence of timely treatment this is not uncommon.

How does a person suffering from such a visual disorder see objects? This can be visualized if you take a spoon and look into it. In total, ophthalmologists distinguish three main types of astigmatism: simple, complex and mixed, and it does not matter which of them the conscript suffers from, since when determining the degree of suitability, doctors look at the patient’s condition, and the type of pathology does not play a special role here, since simple astigmatism can cause a lot of trouble for its “carrier”.

Complex myopic astigmatism army

If you are discharged from military service for health reasons, you are entitled to the following payments:

— in accordance with the Federal Law “On monetary allowances for military personnel and provision of individual payments to them”:

monetary allowance on the day of exclusion from the lists of personnel of a military unit;

a one-time benefit in the amount of two salaries, if the total duration of military service is less than 20 years, and in the amount of seven salaries, if the total duration of military service is 20 years or more (Clause 3, Article 3 of the Law);

— in accordance with Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated December 5, 2011 No. 993 “On the payment of bonuses to military personnel for the conscientious and effective performance of official duties and annual financial assistance”:

financial assistance in the amount of one salary in the year of dismissal if a serviceman fills a military position;

bonus for conscientious and effective performance of official duties (during the actual performance of duties in a military position);

— in accordance with Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated June 22, 2006 No. 390 “On clothing provision in federal executive authorities, in which federal law provides for military service, in peacetime”:

monetary compensation instead of items of clothing for personal use, as required by the standards for the supply of clothing for military personnel - for non-received clothing for personal use, the right to receive which arose within the last 12 months (with a total duration of military service in calendar terms of 20 years or more).

https://www.rg.ru/2013/05/29/vyplata-GTP-anons.html

Article 15. Right to housing

[Law on the Status of Military Personnel] [Chapter II] [Article 15]

1. The state guarantees military personnel the provision of their living quarters in the form of providing them with funds for the purchase or construction of living quarters or providing them with living quarters in the manner and on the terms established by this Federal Law, other federal laws and other regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation, at the expense of federal budget funds.

Military personnel - citizens undergoing military service under a contract, and members of their families living together with them, are provided with service living quarters no later than three months from the date of arrival at a new place of military service in accordance with the standards and in the manner provided for by federal laws and other regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation. Federation. Service living quarters are provided in settlements in which military units are located, and if it is not possible to provide service residential premises in the specified settlements, in other nearby settlements. At the same time, military personnel - citizens with three or more children - are provided with service living quarters on a priority basis.

Military personnel - citizens who entered into a contract for military service before January 1, 1998 (with the exception of cadets of military professional educational organizations and military educational organizations of higher education), and members of their families living with them, recognized as needing residential premises, by the federal executive body , in which federal law provides for military service, a subsidy is provided for the acquisition or construction of residential premises (hereinafter referred to as the housing subsidy) or residential premises in federal ownership, at the choice of the specified citizens, free of charge or under a social rental agreement with the specified federal executive body at the place of military service, and upon dismissal from military service upon reaching the age limit for military service, for health reasons or in connection with organizational and staffing measures with a total duration of military service of 10 years or more - at the chosen place of residence in accordance with the norms provision of living space provided for in Article 15.1 of this Federal Law.

For the entire period of military service, service living quarters are provided for:

military personnel appointed to military positions after receiving professional education in a military professional educational organization or a military educational organization of higher education and receiving an officer military rank in connection with this (starting from 1998), and members of their families living with them;

officers who entered into the first contract for military service after January 1, 1998, and members of their families living with them;

warrant officers and midshipmen, sergeants and foremen, soldiers and sailors who are citizens who entered military service under a contract after January 1, 1998, and members of their families living with them.

Service living quarters are provided for the entire period of military service in closed military camps to military personnel - citizens undergoing military service under a contract, and members of their families living with them.

Closed military camps include military towns of military units located in populated areas that have a pass system, as well as separate separate military camps of military units located outside populated areas. Lists of closed military camps are approved by the Government of the Russian Federation on the proposal of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (another federal executive body in which military service is provided for by federal law).

Military personnel - citizens undergoing military service under a contract, and members of their families living with them are provided with service living quarters in accordance with the standards established by federal laws and other regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation.

Military personnel provided with service living quarters for the first five years of military service under a contract (not counting the time of training in military professional educational organizations or military educational organizations of higher education) retain the right to the living quarters occupied by them before entering military service. They cannot be deregistered as those in need of residential premises at their place of residence before conscription (entry) into military service.

Military personnel - citizens who are provided with official living quarters for the entire period of military service and are recognized as in need of living quarters, upon reaching a total duration of military service of 20 years or more, and upon dismissal from military service upon reaching the age limit for military service, for health reasons or in connection with organizational and staffing measures, with a total duration of military service of 10 years or more, the federal executive body, in which federal law provides for military service, provides a housing subsidy or residential premises in federal ownership, at the choice of these citizens, free of charge or under a social rental agreement with the specified federal executive body at the chosen permanent place of residence and in accordance with the standards for the provision of residential space provided for in Article 15.1 of this Federal Law.

Civilian military personnel are recognized by the federal executive body, in which federal law provides for military service, as needing residential premises on the grounds provided for in Article 51 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, in the manner approved by the Government of the Russian Federation.

Military personnel provided with official residential premises enter into a contract for the rental of official residential premises with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (another federal executive body in which military service is provided for by federal law). The said agreement defines the procedure for the provision of official residential premises, its maintenance and release. The conditions and procedure for concluding such an agreement are determined by the authorized federal executive body.

Military personnel performing military service under a contract are given, at their request, the right to join housing-construction (housing) cooperatives or to receive land plots for the construction of individual residential buildings.

Military personnel - citizens undergoing military service under a contract, during the period of their military service, have the right to improved housing conditions, taking into account the norms, priority and social guarantees established by federal laws and other regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation.

Foreign military personnel are accommodated for the entire period of military service in dormitories in military units (military camps).

The procedure for providing housing subsidies and living quarters to citizens specified in paragraphs three and twelve of this paragraph is established by the federal executive body in which federal law provides for military service.

2. Lost power.

2.1. Providing living quarters for citizens discharged from military service upon reaching the age limit for military service, health reasons or in connection with organizational and staffing measures, the total duration of military service of which is 10 years or more and which were accepted by the authorities before January 1, 2005 local self-government for registration as those in need of residential premises, including those who changed their place of residence and were accepted in connection with this by local government bodies for registration as those in need of residential premises at the new place of residence after January 1, 2005, and members living together with them their families is carried out at the expense of the federal budget at the choice of a citizen discharged from military service, in the form of providing:

ownership of residential premises free of charge;

residential premises under a social rental agreement;

a one-time cash payment for the purchase or construction of residential premises.

When providing, in accordance with this Federal Law, the citizens specified in paragraph one of this paragraph with residential premises free of charge or under a social tenancy agreement, the size of the total area of residential premises is determined in accordance with paragraphs 1 - 3 of Article 15.1 of this Federal Law.

When providing, in accordance with this Federal Law, to the citizens specified in paragraph one of this paragraph, a one-time cash payment for the purchase or construction of residential premises, the amount of this monetary payment is determined based on the standard for the total area of residential premises, determined in accordance with paragraph 4 of Article 15.1 of this Federal Law , and the average market value of one square meter of total living space, determined by the authorized federal executive body for each subject of the Russian Federation.

3. Military personnel - citizens undergoing military service under a contract, and members of their families who have arrived at a new place of military service of military personnel - citizens, before receiving residential premises in accordance with the standards established by federal laws and other regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation, are registered at the place of residence, including at their request to the addresses of military units. The specified military personnel - citizens and members of their families, before receiving residential premises, are provided with service residential premises suitable for temporary residence, residential premises of a maneuver fund or a dormitory.

In the absence of the specified residential premises, military units rent residential premises to provide for military personnel - citizens and members of their families living with them or, at the request of military personnel - citizens, pay them monthly monetary compensation for renting (subletting) residential premises in the manner and amount determined by the Government Russian Federation.

Local government bodies provide assistance to military units in providing rental premises suitable for temporary residence of military personnel - citizens and members of their families.

Foreign military personnel are registered at the addresses of military units.

4. Military personnel - citizens undergoing military service under a contract, who own individual residential buildings (apartments) or are members of housing construction (housing) cooperatives, as well as military personnel - citizens who, in accordance with federal laws and other regulatory legal acts, The Russian Federation retains residential premises at the place of residence until entering military service or reserves residential premises; when transferred to a new place of military service in another locality, they are provided with service living quarters or dormitories together with their family members living with them for the period of military service in that locality. In the absence of the specified residential premises, the commander of the military unit acts in accordance with paragraph 3 of this article.

5. If residential premises occupied by military personnel and members of their families living with them are vacated, with the exception of residential premises owned by them, these premises are provided to other military personnel and members of their families.

6. Military personnel - citizens, as well as citizens discharged from military service, and members of their families have the right to receive free ownership of the residential premises they occupy in accordance with federal laws and other regulatory legal acts, with the exception of official residential premises and residential premises in closed military towns.

7. Lost power.

8. Lost power.

9. Military personnel undergoing military service under a contract, sent for military service outside the territory of the Russian Federation, to the regions of the Far North, equivalent areas and other areas with unfavorable climatic or environmental conditions, the living quarters they occupy in state or municipal housing buildings funds are reserved, with the exception of office residential premises, for the entire duration of their stay outside the territory of the Russian Federation or in the specified areas and localities.

10. Excluded.

11. Military personnel undergoing military service upon conscription are accommodated in accordance with the requirements of general military regulations.

Military personnel undergoing military service upon conscription, cadets of military professional educational organizations or military educational organizations of higher education retain the residential premises occupied by them before conscription (entry) to military service. They cannot be deregistered as those in need of housing.

12. Military personnel - citizens undergoing military service under a contract, and citizens discharged from military service upon reaching the age limit for military service, health conditions or in connection with organizational and staffing events, the total duration of military service of which is 10 years or more , as well as military personnel - citizens undergoing military service outside the territory of the Russian Federation, in the regions of the Far North, equivalent areas and other areas with unfavorable climatic or environmental conditions, local government bodies have the right, as a matter of priority, to grant the right to join housing construction (housing) cooperatives or allocate land plots for the construction of individual residential buildings.

13. Citizens discharged from military service, whose total duration of military service is 20 years or more, and upon dismissal from military service upon reaching the age limit for military service, for health reasons or in connection with organizational and staffing measures for the total duration military service of 10 years or more, who were not provided with a housing subsidy or living quarters at the time of dismissal from military service, cannot, without their consent, be deregistered as those in need of living quarters at the last place of military service before dismissal and are provided with a housing subsidy or living quarters in the manner prescribed by this Federal Law for military personnel.

14. Providing living quarters for citizen military personnel with a total duration of military service of 10 years or more, upon dismissal from military service upon reaching the age limit for military service, health status or in connection with organizational and staffing events, and members of their families during the change place of residence is carried out by federal executive authorities, which provide for military service, at the expense of the federal budget for the construction and acquisition of residential premises, including through the issuance of state housing certificates. The right to provide housing under these conditions is granted to these citizens once. Documents on the delivery of residential premises to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (another federal executive body in which military service is provided for by federal law) and deregistration at the previous place of residence are submitted by the indicated citizens and members of their families living together with them upon receipt of residential premises at the chosen place of residence.

Citizens discharged from military service and registered as needing residential premises, and members of their families living with them, are paid monthly monetary compensation for renting (subletting) residential premises at the expense of the federal budget in the manner and amount determined by the Government of the Russian Federation. Federation.

The procedure for providing residential premises to military personnel - citizens living in closed military camps, upon their dismissal from military service - is determined by federal laws and other regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation.

The procedure for providing social guarantees and reimbursement of expenses associated with the provision of social guarantees specified in this paragraph is determined by the Government of the Russian Federation.

15. Military citizens serving under contract and in accordance with Federal Law of August 20, 2004 N 117-FZ “On the savings and mortgage system of housing support for military personnel” who are participants in the savings and mortgage system of housing support for military personnel are allocated funds for acquisition or construction of residential premises in the manner and under the conditions established by federal laws and other regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation.

The said citizen military personnel and members of their families are not subject to paragraph twelve of paragraph 1, paragraphs 13, 14, 16 - 19 of this article, as well as paragraphs second and third of paragraph 1 of Article 23 of this Federal Law.

16. When providing citizens specified in paragraphs three and twelve of paragraph 1 of this article with a housing subsidy, its size is determined based on the standard for the total area of residential premises, determined in accordance with paragraph 4 of Article 15.1 of this Federal Law, the standard cost of one square meter of the total area of residential premises in the Russian Federation, determined by the authorized federal executive body, and correction factors taking into account the total duration of military service, established by the Government of the Russian Federation.

The procedure for calculating housing subsidies is approved by the Government of the Russian Federation.

Provided in accordance with this Federal Law to a military citizen and a citizen discharged from military service, a housing subsidy can be used by them exclusively for the purpose of acquiring or constructing residential premises (living premises) under conditions under which they will lose the grounds for recognizing them as needing housing premises.

When providing citizens specified in paragraphs three and twelve of paragraph 1, paragraph 13 and paragraph one of paragraph 14 of this article with residential premises in ownership in accordance with this Federal Law, these residential premises, with their consent, may be provided with a total area exceeding the norm for providing residential area premises established by Article 15.1 of this Federal Law, with payment for the total area of residential premises exceeding the norm for the provision of residential area established by Article 15.1 of this Federal Law, at the expense of such citizens’ own funds.

The procedure for paying for the total area of residential premises that exceeds the norm for providing the area of residential premises established by Article 15.1 of this Federal Law is established by the Government of the Russian Federation.

17. Funds for the purchase or construction of residential premises or residential premises in accordance with this Federal Law are provided out of turn to military citizens and citizens discharged from military service who have three or more children, as well as military personnel and citizens discharged from military service services belonging to other categories of citizens who, in accordance with other federal laws, are provided with residential premises out of turn.

18. The right to choose a locality as a chosen place of residence for the purpose of providing a military citizen with residential premises is granted to him once. Citizens discharged from military service and registered as needing residential premises in the federal executive body, in which federal law provides for military service, are provided with residential premises in the settlements they chose as their chosen place of residence before dismissal from military service.

19. Military personnel - citizens undergoing military service under a contract, recognized as needing residential premises, citizens discharged from military service, registered as needing residential premises in the federal executive body, in which federal law provides for military service, who have refused of the proposed residential premises located at the place of military service or at the chosen place of residence, which meets the requirements established by the legislation of the Russian Federation, as well as those who have expressed a desire to change the previously chosen place of residence, are provided with a housing subsidy.

Types of astigmatism

First of all, this disease is classified into congenital and acquired, and in the first case, it can even be inherited, and if its degree is insignificant, then this disease cannot have much effect on vision. If the degree of astigmatism is high, then vision decreases significantly, and then the young man is guaranteed not to serve in the army. Acquired astigmatism cannot be corrected, and most often it is an age-related phenomenon. Depending on what exactly the disease affected, astigmatism is distinguished as general, lenticular and corneal.

In ophthalmology, it is customary to distinguish the following types of astigmatism:

Mixed (one eye is farsighted, the other is nearsighted);
Complex myopic (both eyes are myopic);
Simple myopic (one eye is myopic, the other is “normal”);
Complex hypermetropic astigmatism (both eyes are farsighted);
Simple hypermetropic (one eye is farsighted, the other is “normal”);

According to severity, this disease is classified as follows:

Weak - up to three diopters.
Average - from three to six diopters.
Severe - more than six diopters.

Fit categories and astigmatism

If a young man has a similar visual defect, then he can avoid conscription, and not only temporarily. Here, much depends on the severity of the disease, which can be identified by conducting appropriate research. A young man can be drafted into the Russian Army if the medical commission has awarded him the second fitness category (“B”), and provided that his vision defect “falls within” the limits of 2-4 diopters. Of course, not all branches of the military are suitable for a conscript with a similar pathology, however, it will not be possible to “opt out” from military service.

Eye astigmatism
Category	Suitability	Units
B	Good with restrictions	from 2 to 4 diopters
IN	Limited fit (not fit)	from 4 to 6 diopters
D	Unfit	from 6 diopters

Advice for pre-conscripts

Practice indicates that the medical board usually makes mistakes when determining the category, since it has no interest in identifying diseases that make military service impossible. This attitude can cause a young soldier to experience a significant deterioration in his condition during his first year of service.

There are borderline cases when it is difficult to determine whether a young man is fit for the army. If you have astigmatism, then when registering for military service in the army, keep supporting documents with you. This will protect you from unnecessary medical errors, preserve your health and nerves.

Even if you feel well before conscription, it is better to undergo a preventive examination yourself. A mild degree of illness may not be felt by a person, but an increase in load

Additionally, watch a video about the limitations of astigmatism, as well as what consequences can occur if contraindications are not followed:

Leave comments below what you found useful and also share your experience. All the best. Drops for conjunctivitis in adults, you can find out at the link.

Passing a military medical examination

Members of the medical commission may well make an incorrect diagnosis, and if a conscript has serious vision problems, for example, he is bothered by complex astigmatism (hypermetropic or myopic), then he can “not go into the army” legally. But it happens that there is a shortage, and the military registration and enlistment office, together with the military medical commission, begins to look for candidates for soldiers among citizens liable for military service, who by law are entitled to either a deferment or complete exemption from military service.

The fitness category can be established incorrectly - due to malicious intent, purposefully or mistakenly. That is why the conscript must appear at the medical examination along with a package of documents confirming that he has a disease that is an obstacle to military service. If members of the medical commission have any doubts, the young man is sent for additional examination to a specialist.

In order to be guaranteed to save himself from military service, the conscript must provide doctors with epicrises from the place of his dispensary registration. If a diagnosis of “mixed astigmatism” is made, then this is not a basis for complete exemption from military service, since much depends on the extent to which the image is distorted.

Recommendations when passing a medical examination

If the patient has a violation of the perception of objects through the organs of vision, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules when passing the medical commission:

Non-surgical eye treatment in 1 month.

have with you documents from an ophthalmologist that confirm the presence of the disease (if there are test data, conclusions of diagnostic studies, certificates from any doctors, it is possible to provide them);
if you receive a draft, it is necessary to undergo a preventive examination in order to avoid complications while in the army (this is due to the fact that if there is a slight defect in vision, it can worsen during service, which will lead to conditions requiring surgical intervention).

Most often, the medical commission before the army is not interested in the health status of young people.

Therefore, after conscription, health may deteriorate. If the patient is sure of his illness, it is necessary to undergo additional examination by doctors in order to refute the results of the medical commission.

Can someone with astigmatism be drafted into the army?

Sometimes a military medical commission cannot determine which fitness category a conscript suffering from astigmatism belongs to. In this case, he must insist that an additional, more competent commission be assembled. If during research it is established that the vision of a person subject to conscription is less than two diopters, then this cannot serve as a reason for receiving a deferment, which means that the ranks of the Russian army will be replenished with another recruit. If a young man is assigned the second category of fitness, then he will go to certain troops (communications, explosives, engineering troops and some others).

A conscript is considered unfit for military service if his vision is more than six diopters, and if this indicator varies between 4-6, then he receives a deferment. After three years, the military registration and enlistment office has the right to send a second summons. It happens that a secondary re-examination is “fatal” for a young man, since after successful treatment his vision can be 3-4 diopters.

This will serve as a good reason for the call, and it does not matter what diagnosis he has - myopic astigmatism or hypermetropic. It is noteworthy that the deferment is granted precisely for three years, and until the deadline approaches, no one has the right to send him a summons and summon him to a medical institution for a re-examination.

Military service after treatment

Those who are interested in whether they will be accepted into the army after vision correction should know that this is possible with category B or G. After an additional medical examination, visual indicators should improve to 4 or less diopters.

Currently, three methods have been found to treat patients with similar vision defects:

Glasses (certain complex glasses with cylindrical lenses are prescribed);
Contact lenses for astigmatism (special toric lenses are used - they have the shape of a torus, not a hemisphere);
Excimer laser correction (seamless, non-traumatic procedure, lasting about 10–15 minutes, requiring no rehabilitation).

During military service, such soldiers are advised to use glasses rather than contacts. The latter require special care and time to put on, which may not be necessary during a combat alert. The choice is yours, but without treatment, the risk of developing strabismus or severe vision loss increases dramatically.