Cost analysis of military eye injuries in fiscal years 1988-1998.

Army, Navy, and Air Force safety center ground eye injuries were evaluated from fiscal year 1988 through fiscal year 1998. The U.S. Army Safety Center data revealed that the average Army military eye injury mishap caused a loss of 6.1 days from work, at a cost averaging 9724 dollars. The U.S. Navy Safety Center data showed that the average Navy military eye injury mishap caused a loss of 5.9 days from work, at a cost averaging 4222 dollars. The Air Force Safety Center data revealed that the average Air Force eye injury mishap caused a loss of 4.7 days from work, at a cost averaging 3196 dollars. Comparing safety center data with Defense Medical Surveillance System data exposed an underreporting of safety center data by at least 250%. To improve accurate meaningful data collection, an automated eye injury collection system should be initiated.

Follow-up study on vision health readiness in the military.

A retrospective study reviewed medical records of military personnel who had participated in a vision readiness study the previous year. The review evaluated (1) the number of personnel who returned for an eye examination (as recommended), (2) the number of dilated eye examinations, (3) the number of optical devices ordered, (4) the number of patients requiring continuing treatment, (5) the types of eye disease in personnel who were classified as nondeployable in the original study, and (6) the relationship between patient vision complaints and the need for spectacles. Analyses revealed 44% of military personnel have never had a comprehensive eye examination. Of these personnel who never had an eye examination, 15% to 26% could improve their vision with spectacles. Finally, even though having an eye examination is important, whether or not the individual has had a comprehensive eye examination should not be a significant criterion for deployment.

Visual acuity, optical, and eye health readiness in the military.

Optimum vision readiness is essential on today's technologically advanced battlefield. A vision readiness screening of 4,825 active duty personnel at 13 Department of Defense sites from September through December 1997 revealed 4,021 (83.3%) not vision ready: 500 (10.4%) had substandard visual acuity, 1,249 (25.9%) had deficient optical devices, and 3,562 (73.8%) had eye health-related deficiencies. This suggests a more effective ongoing vision readiness process should be implemented to ensure all personnel are vision ready prior to deployment.

Descriptive analysis of military eye injuries from fiscal year 1988 to 1998.

An 11-year retrospective study of ground eye injuries collected by the Army Safety Center, Navy Safety Center, and Air Force Safety Center from fiscal year 1988 through 1998 was performed. The statistics for eye injuries indicate that the average Army, Navy, and Air Force individual sustaining an eye injury is a 20- to 24-year-old man with a rank of E2 through E5. The average military individual sustaining an eye injury is not wearing eye protection when injured. In addition, Army personnel lost 1.9 more workdays, Navy personnel lost 1.5 more workdays, and Air Force personnel lost 3.4 more workdays than those individuals who were wearing eye protection at the time of the eye injury. Proactive vision conservation education at local levels needs to focus on the military personnel that are at the highest risk for an eye injury.

Vision readiness in Operation Restore Hope.

Ensuring that our forces are vision ready for their mission is essential on today's battlefield. Vision readiness considers optical readiness (appropriate correcting eyewear) and visual readiness (adequate job-required visual acuity). A study of vision readiness among deploying personnel for Operation Restore Hope in Bosnia from December 1995 to September 1997 was conducted at Fort Benning, Georgia. Of the 10,063 personnel screened, 3,554 (35.3%) were not optically ready for deployment and 406 (4.0%) were not visually ready for deployment. Analyses indicated a statistically significant difference between the active duty and reserve components in optical and visual readiness. A more effective vision readiness process should be implemented before deployment to ensure that all personnel are deployment ready. Optometry personnel, commanders, and deploying soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines must take a more active role in ensuring that our forces have the appropriate visual acuity and optical devices to deploy.