CONTACT-LENSES IN AVIATION - THE MARINE CORPS EXPERIENCE

In an attempt to limit safety and health risks, Naval Aeromedical Poli cy has historically prohibited the use of contact lenses in the Navy a nd Marine Corps Class 1 Aviation Personnel (pilots), approximately 18% of whom require spectacles. Recent technological advancements have re ndered spectacles functionally incompatible with some mission-essentia l masks, goggles, and imaging devices, thus forcing a re-examination o f existing policy. Recent U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force aviation studie s favorably compare the performance of contact lenses to spectacles. I n order to test the application of contact lenses in the unique U.S. M arine Corps aviation environment, encompassing shipboard, land-based, and forwardly-deployed units, 90 aviation personnel assigned to severa l deploying squadrons were evaluated for contact lenses; flex-wear dis posable lenses were the primary modality of choice. Of the subjects, 6 8 (73%) were successfully fit and continued contact lens wear for a pe riod of 16 months. Safety and health were not compromised, and job per formance was favorably affected. No cases of ulcerative keratitis or v ision loss were reported. The first U.S. Marine Corps aviation contact lens study supports the growing belief that contact lenses can be saf ely and effectively applied in the critical and hazardous aviation env ironment.