U.S. Military Tests Out Wavefront-Guided Laser Vision Correction

Did you know more than 750,000 members of the U.S. military – Army, Navy, and Air Force – have chosen laser vision correction to improve their vision? Because of the military reliance on excellent vision for mission-critical duty, there is an emphasis on clinical research to investigate the various procedures available to service members to ensure they are both safe and effective. 

The Department of Defense approved laser vision correction for military personnel in 2000 and has continued to evaluate these procedures for decades. In this article, we provide an overview of two of the clinical studies of laser vision correction conducted by the U.S. Navy.

U.S. Navy Examines Wavefront-guided PRK

Wavefront-guided PRK uses the latest computer-generated mapping technology to create a digital image of the individual patient’s eye.  This digital map guides the excimer laser applied to the surface of the cornea, reshaping it to improve the eye’s focusing ability, in a correction treatment customized to the unique vision needs of the patient. Recently, wavefront-guided PRK (photorefractive keratectomy), was the subject of a clinical study by the U.S. Navy. 

The 167 patients enrolled in the clinical study led by the U.S. Naval Medical Center, San Diego included those with vision prescriptions up to -8.0D of nearsightedness and up to -4.00D of astigmatism.  These patients all had wavefront-guided PRK to correct their vision and the findings from the research showed:

• Patient satisfaction with wavefront-guided PRK was very high with 98.8% reporting completely or very satisfied with their vision without wearing glasses or contacts
• 99.4 percent of patients tested at 20/20 or better vision six months after the procedure
• Night vision symptoms improved slightly after the procedure, with fewer than 4 percent reporting any experience (slight/moderate) with halo, glare, or starbursts at six months post-op
• Less than 1 percent of eyes experienced any adverse event related to the procedure

Impressively, the overwhelming majority of patients tested at better than 20/20 vision.  In fact, 91.9 percent of patients achieved 20/16 (better than 20/20) or better vision six months after the procedure.

Naval Aviators Experience with Wavefront-guided LASIK

The study included 100 pilots (Class 1 for the curious) and 230 aircrew personnel for a total of 330 patients. All underwent wavefront-guided LASIK to treat nearsightedness (558 eyes), farsightedness (31 eyes), or mixed astigmatism (62 eyes). The results of the study showed:

• UDVA was 20/20 or better in 98.2% of the eyes 3 months after wavefront-guided LASIK.
• UDVA of 20/25 or better was achieved in 100% of eyes, regardless of pre-operative prescription, at 3 months post-op.

Study participants were also given a questionnaire to report their personal opinions on the experience of having wavefront-guided LASIK. Key findings included:

• Nearly 96% believed the procedure helped their effectiveness as Naval aviators.
• 99.6% would recommend the same treatment to others.

This research from the U.S. Navy adds to the enormous body of evidence supporting laser vision correction procedures like wavefront-guided PRK and wavefront-guided LASIK are both safe and effective for those who are good candidates from both military and civilian populations.

Read more from our library of research here.