Contact Lenses in the U.S. Army Attack Helicopter Environment
Abstract
Recent technological advances have had a major impact on military aviation. While modern methods of providing visual information via electro- optics/visionics systems have extended the aviator's operational envelope, these devices are becoming increasingly incompatible with spectacle wear. Since approximately 20 percent of Army aviators are ametropic (spectacle wearing), alternative means of providing a refractive error correction need to be investigated. One alternative being considered is the use of a contact lens correction. For the past year, the U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory (USAARL) has been conducting a worldwide, AH-64 Apache contact lens research project in order to develop a comprehensive database on contact lens wear in a variety of environments. A three-tier contact lens fitting system is being used: two different types of soft lens and one rigid gas permeable (RGP) lens type. The wearing schedule is set at a maximum of 7 days/6 nights of extended lens wear. Fundamental operational data is being chronicled by unit flight surgeons.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA232373
Entities
People
- Morris R. Lattimore
Organizations
- United States Army Aeromedical Research Lab