Congenital ptosis surgery need helps ASAP?

2020-06-26T10:49:03-04:00

So I have droopy eyelids and have had this for a while so I had a surgery to have the muscle replaced I have things in my eyelids to lift them up would this be a problem if I joined the army ?

Response by CW5 Jack Cardwell made Jun 26 at 2020 11:17 AM

2020-06-26T11:17:35-04:00

Have a recruiter research this for you.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Jun 26 at 2020 2:40 PM

2020-06-26T14:40:58-04:00

Cody R Facemyer Agree with CW5 Jack Cardwell , ask a recruiter. Common sense wise, I would not want to do basic training with anything foreign propping my eyes up (assuming this is temporary) in the gas chamber during mask confidence training.

There are two regulations that deem medical fitness for service: AR40-501 and DODI 6130.03. They are used by ALL services for medical fitness for entry and retention.

AR40-501 CH2 are standards for initial induction/enlistment:

(4) Deformity of the lids (374.4), complete or extensive lid deformity, sufficient to interfere with vision or impair protection of the eye from exposure does not meet the standard.
(5) Current growths or tumors of the eyelid, other than small, non-progressive, asymptomatic, benign lesions, do not meet the standard.

There was another part of 40-501 that cites ptosis and it is evaluated for vision impairment. DODI 6130.03 echoes similar language and specifically references ptosis.

Talk to a recruiter and see what they advise. You are going to need a medical determination of your status and possibly a waiver for you to enlist. Not impossible but a speed bump in your plans. Are the things in your eye lids going to be permanent or temporary ? Are they considered a prosthetic?

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 26 at 2020 3:00 PM

2020-06-26T15:00:25-04:00

my youngest son had the same issue. he had corrective surgery to shorten/tighten up the muscles in his eyelids. Not sure what you're talking about when you say things in your eyelids to lift them up but if it's similar to what they did for my son it shouldn't be a big issue.