Refractive error distribution and incidence among U.S. Army aviators.

Spectacle incompatibility has been a major problem in the fielding of advanced Army avionic and electro-optical systems. As a result, routine contact lens wear may be instituted as an option to spectacles. Refractive error data were extracted from the Aviation Epidemiological Data Registry, a computer-accessible repository of flight physical medical information on the entire Army aviation population. Refractive error distribution patterns in the class 1 and class 2 flight physical populations were analyzed in order to provide a contact lens supply reference database, estimate the annual incidence of refractive error development, and estimate costs of possible spectacle-wearer flight-duty deselection. Contact lens wear appears to be a more cost-effective alternative than deselection.