Effects of Aviation Altitudes on Soft Contact Lens Wear.
Abstract
Aviation in the U.S. Air Force can be divided into two categories on the basis of aircraft cabin environments: (1) Fighter-attack-reconnaissance (FAR) aircraft with cabin pressures equivalent to high altitudes, and (2) tanker-transport-bomber (TTB) aircraft with cabin pressures equivalent to lower altitudes, but for longer durations. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of soft contact lens wear in these two types of aircraft environments. Ten subjects were tested in hypobaric chamber flights at 10,000 ft for 4 hr to simulate TTB flying. Four of these 12 subjects were also tested in dry air to further simulate cabin conditions. Vision and physiologic response were monitored by measurements of visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and slit-lamp examinations. The results indicate that the physiologic response of the cornea to soft contact lens wear at altitude is subject to higher levels of manifested stresses, but these occurred without measurable degradation in vision and did not preclude the normal wearing of the soft contact lenses under the conditions of this study. Keywords: Aviation medicine, Contact, Lenses, Altitude dependence, Time dependence.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1986
- Accession Number
- ADA173534
Entities
People
- Michael G. Block
- Robert E. Miller Ii
- Thomas J. Tredici
- William J. Flynn
Organizations
- United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine