Vietnam: Guidelines for classifying the health status of individuals with eye-related illnesses or disabilities for military service

01:16, 10/07/2024

Military service health examination is one of the key criteria to determine the individuals who are eligible to participate in military service in Vietnam. The health examination is conducted in accordance with Joint Circular 16/2016/TTLT-BYT-BQP regulating health examinations for the performance of military service.

Many people often wonder, to what extent must one have eye diseases and disorders to be deemed unfit for military service? To answer this question, we need to refer to the health standards regulation for those who are called up for military service as stipulated in Clause 3, Article 4 of Circular 148/2018/TT-BQP of the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam as follows:

Article 4. Military Recruitment Standards

...

3. Health standards:

a) Select citizens with health grades of 1, 2, or 3 according to the Inter-Ministerial Circular No. 16/2016/TTLT-BYT-BQP dated June 30, 2016 of the Minister of Health and the Minister of National Defense on medical examination for military service.

b) For organizations, units, or positions specified at Point b, Clause 2 of this Article, selection shall ensure the specific standards as regulated by the Ministry of National Defense.

c) Do not enlist in the Army those citizens with health grade 3 due to refractive errors (myopia of 1.5 diopters or more, hyperopia at any level); drug addiction, HIV infection, or AIDS.

Therefore, individuals with health grade 3 due to refractive errors, including myopia of 1.5 diopters or more and hyperopia at any level, are by default ineligible for military service.

Additionally, other eye diseases will be scored based on Table 2 of the Annex issued with Joint Circular 16/2016/TTLT-BYT-BQP, and then categorized according to health grades as prescribed in Article 9 of the Joint Circular 16/2016/TTLT-BYT-BQP. Those with health grades of 1, 2, or 3 will be called for enlistment, except for those with health grade 3 due to refractive errors, including myopia of 1.5 diopters or more and hyperopia at any level, who are ineligible for enlistment. The specific scoring and health classification are as follows:

Health classification

- Grade 1: All 8 criteria are scored 1;

- Grade 2: At least one criterion scored 2;

- Grade 3: At least one criterion scored 3;

- Grade 4: At least one criterion scored 4;

- Grade 5: At least one criterion scored 5;

- Grade 6: At least one criterion scored 6.

Specific Scoring for Eye Diseases

No.	DISEASES	SCORE
1	Visual acuity (uncorrected):
	Visual acuity right eye Total visual acuity both eyes
	10/10 19/10	1
	10/10 18/10	2
	9/10 17/10	3
	8/10 16/10	4
	6,7/10 13/10 - 15/10	5
	1, 2, 3, 4, 5/10 6/10 - 12/10	6
2	Myopia:
	- Myopia less than -1.5 D	2
	- Myopia from - 1.5 D to less than - 3 D	3
	- Myopia from - 3 D to less than - 4 D	4
	- Myopia from - 4 D to less than - 5 D	5
	- Myopia from - 5 D or more	6
	- Myopia surgically corrected over 1 year with good results	Based on uncorrected visual acuity, increase score by 1 point
3	Retinal degeneration due to severe myopia (from -3D or more)	6
4	Hyperopia:
	- Hyperopia less than + 1.5 D	3
	- Hyperopia from + 1.5 D to less than + 3 D	4
	- Hyperopia from + 3 D to less than + 4 D	5
	- Hyperopia from + 4 D to less than + 5 D	6
	- Hyperopia surgically corrected over 1 year with good results	4
5	Astigmatism	6
6	Pterygium:
	- Pterygium grade 1, grade 2	2
	- Pterygium grade 3	4
	- Pterygium obscuring pupil	5
	- Recurrent pterygium causing adhesions	5
7	Corneal diseases:
	- Simple corneal scars, thin, small outside the central area	Based on visual acuity, increase score by 1 point
	- Corneal scars with iris adhesions	6
	- Active corneal inflammation:
	+ Mild	3T
	+ Moderate	4T
8	Trachoma:
	- Uncomplicated:
	+ If in progressive stage	Based on visual acuity, increase score by 1 point
	+ If in scar stage	Keep the same classification according to visual acuity
	- With complications (blood membrane, corneal scars)	5
9	Trichiasis (entropion) of the eyelid:
	- Not affecting visual acuity	Based on visual acuity, increase score by 1 point
	- Affecting visual acuity	4 (3)
10	Conjunctivitis:
	- Acute	2T
	- Spring conjunctivitis	4
11	Lacrimal apparatus:
	- Acute dacryocystitis	3T
	- Chronic dacryocystitis or recurrent and not cured:
	+ If in one eye	5
	+ If in both eyes	6
12	Ocular motor muscles diseases:
	- Functional strabismus:
	+ Not affecting function	3
	+ Affecting function	5
	- Paralytic strabismus (inward, outward, upward, downward)	6
13	Nystagmus (pathological or congenital)	5
14	Eyelid and orbit diseases:
	- Scars damaging the eyelids: unable to close eye completely, eyelid adhesions, ectropion, entropion	6
	- Congenital or pathological ptosis at any level	6
	- Orbital diseases	6
15	Color blindness (partial or total)	6
16	Pigment epithelium degeneration (night blindness)	6
17	Congenital cataract	6
18	Other eye diseases:
	- Glaucoma, cataracts in both eyes, lens dislocation, uveitis, pupil occlusion, retinal detachment, optic nerve atrophy in one or both eyes	6
	- Retinal damage due to pathological conditions (hypertensive retinopathy, retinitis pigmentosa) or congenital (congenital retinal degeneration)	6

Lan Anh

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