Military Physical

[Sean Lee]

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I passed/qualified for the DoDMERB physical needed for USUHS attendance. This physical also involved an eye exam.

How often do we have to repeat the DoDMERB physical in our military career? Do we have to go through the same physical/vision test every single year?

 

[Sean Lee]

I am NOT talking about the annual physical fitness tests that everyone must do twice a year. I am talking about the action medical and eye exam administered through DoDMERB.

 

[colbgw02]

The two toughest physicals you'll undergo is the one before you commission and the one before/if you retire. You'll get screened for many things, often annually, but they won't be as in depth as those two physicals. Things get tweaked as you age or if you're on flight status, for example.

 

[d2305]

The physical before commissioning is for the military, but the physical before retirement is for you. You will get many PHAs between physicals.

 

[Sean Lee]

The physical before commissioning is for the military, but the physical before retirement is for you. You will get many PHAs between physicals.

What's a PHA?

 

[Sean Lee]

The two toughest physicals you'll undergo is the one before you commission and the one before/if you retire. You'll get screened for many things, often annually, but they won't be as in depth as those two physicals. Things get tweaked as you age or if you're on flight status, for example.

I'll be in the army (most likely) as a physician, will my vision gets tested every year? My eyes are perfectly healthy and correctable to 20/20, but I am afraid that my nearsightedness (which is pretty severe) might get worse.

 

[Homunculus]

What's a PHA?

you fill out a meaningless health history/questionnaire and get screened by a NP or PA. no physical exam occurs. they may document some complaints but don't do anything. it's a check the box kind of thing. the vision exam is a MEDPROS thing (meaning everyone in the army has to have the same preventative medicine done, not for your health but to make sure you are deployable) yearly, and i don't know why you are concerned it may get worse. i have some keratoconus BS and my eyes are crap but it has never been an issue.

thankfully we're mostly healthy, but at some point i suppose i will need to start documenting my various aches/pains for retirement or ETS. the enlisted folks know how to game the disability system best-- something like back pain and OSA (or some other combo) and they get free money forever. i'll worry more when i get closer, lol.

--your friendly neighborhood chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia/IBS caveman

 

[Sean Lee]

you fill out a meaningless health history/questionnaire and get screened by a NP or PA. no physical exam occurs. they may document some complaints but don't do anything. it's a check the box kind of thing. the vision exam is a MEDPROS thing (meaning everyone in the army has to have the same preventative medicine done, not for your health but to make sure you are deployable) yearly, and i don't know why you are concerned it may get worse. i have some keratoconus BS and my eyes are crap but it has never been an issue.

thankfully we're mostly healthy, but at some point i suppose i will need to start documenting my various aches/pains for retirement or ETS. the enlisted folks know how to game the disability system best-- something like back pain and OSA (or some other combo) and they get free money forever. i'll worry more when i get closer, lol.

--your friendly neighborhood chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia/IBS caveman

Thanks, but could you elaborate a bit more on the vision/MEDPROS thing? Do you mean that you have to take preventative medicine for your eyes on a yearly basis?

Thanks again.

 

[Homunculus]

Thanks, but could you elaborate a bit more on the vision/MEDPROS thing? Do you mean that you have to take preventative medicine for your eyes on a yearly basis?

Thanks again.

preventative medicine is the specialty dealing with . . . well, disease prevention and readiness. yes you will have to have a yearly vision screen. and dental exam. and regular HIV screens. pretty typical fare.

--your friendly neighborhood green in medpros caveman

 

[MaximusD]

Unless you become a flight doc...

 

[MaximusD]

Your nearsightedness doesn't matter for retention standards if you are correctable to 20/20 and are a nonflyer.

 

[Sean Lee]

Your nearsightedness doesn't matter for retention standards if you are correctable to 20/20 and are a nonflyer.

But is the standard 20/20?

Here is what I found:

• 
  (1) 20/40 in one eye and 20/70 in the other eye.
  
  (2) 20/30 in one eye and 20/100 in the other eye.
  
  (3) 20/20 in one eye and 20/400 in the other eye. However, for entrance into a military academy, distant visual acuity that does not correct to 20/20 in each eye is disqualifying. For entrance into ROTC programs and OCS/OTS, distant visual acuity that does not correct to 20/20 in one eye and 20/100 in the other eye is disqualifying.
  

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/eyes2.htm

 

[ArmyTiger]

But is the standard 20/20?

Here is what I found:

• 
  (1) 20/40 in one eye and 20/70 in the other eye.
  
  (2) 20/30 in one eye and 20/100 in the other eye.
  
  (3) 20/20 in one eye and 20/400 in the other eye. However, for entrance into a military academy, distant visual acuity that does not correct to 20/20 in each eye is disqualifying. For entrance into ROTC programs and OCS/OTS, distant visual acuity that does not correct to 20/20 in one eye and 20/100 in the other eye is disqualifying.
  

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/eyes2.htm

You're forgetting the golden rule of entrance physicals: everything is waiverable, except for asthma. And sometimes that, too. Went to an academy with worse eyesight than that (although not much worse).

 

[Sean Lee]

You're forgetting the golden rule of entrance physicals: everything is waiverable, except for asthma. And sometimes that, too. Went to an academy with worse eyesight than that (although not much worse).

So are you saying that 20/20 is not a requirement? I am sorry but is the entrance physical less stringent than the annual physicals once you are in?

 

[colbgw02]

So are you saying that 20/20 is not a requirement? I am sorry but is the entrance physical less stringent than the annual physicals once you are in?

Typically it's the opposite. It takes a lot more to medically separate or retire someone than it does to keep them from commissioning. If your vision (correctable or otherwise, with or without waiver) is good enough now to be commissioned, then the threshold for it becoming an issue while on active duty will be very high.

 

[buffdoc]

I'll be in the army (most likely) as a physician, will my vision gets tested every year? My eyes are perfectly healthy and correctable to 20/20, but I am afraid that my nearsightedness (which is pretty severe) might get worse.

You can get your vision tested every year, and new glasses every year. It is an Army benefit. You can also get LASIK surgery from your friendly Army ophthalmologist, completely free. The only thing you have to worry about is passing the semi-annual APFT and height/weight standards. The Army takes those very seriously.

 

[studocplsignore]

Hello. My vision is terrible. I am basically legally blind without my glasses. While I have 20/20 with them, I am 20/800 and 20/1000 without them. Basically numbers are meaningly in my case. My astigmatism is also quite severe, at least +3 in each eye.

I was automatically disqualified on that account. A medical waiver automatically submitted in my behalf and passed in two months. I was told that this was something that was often waived. I hope this helped.

 

[Sean Lee]

Hello. My vision is terrible. I am basically legally blind without my glasses. While I have 20/20 with them, I am 20/800 and 20/1000 without them. Basically numbers are meaningly in my case. My astigmatism is also quite severe, at least +3 in each eye.

I was automatically disqualified on that account. A medical waiver automatically submitted in my behalf and passed in two months. I was told that this was something that was often waived. I hope this helped.

What does legally blind without glasses mean? Does it mean that you absolutely can't see anything with glasses?

 

[studocplsignore]

What does legally blind without glasses mean? Does it mean that you absolutely can't see anything with glasses?

Without glasses, my vision is worse than 20/200. At 20/800 and 20/1000, it is most definitely worse than that.