Legislation willimprove the tracking, diagnosis and treatment for service members injured on active duty

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Congress has approved legislation that would improve the Department of Defense’s (DoD) and the Veterans Health Administrations’ ability to treat those serving on active duty who have suffered serious eye injuries.  The legislation, passed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, will establish a Center of Excellence within the DoD to improve the tracking, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up for service members who have incurred eye injuries while serving on active duty. The measure now goes to President Bush, who is expected to sign it, as soon as Friday.  

The American Academy of Ophthalmology joined the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) and other veteran’s service organizations in support of the legislation, which would also create a formal registry that would house electronic records and enable the DoD and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to share patient information.

“We want to ensure that active duty members and veterans of prior service are provided with excellent eye care and resources,” says James C. Orcutt, MD, PhD, Chief Ophthalmology Consultant for the Veterans Health Administration and a member of the Academy. “The establishment of a registry that will allow us to track veterans and active duty personnel who have eye injuries significantly enhances our ability to meet that goal. In addition, the ability of the DoD and VA to work hand in hand on eye injury cases will benefit both active duty troops and veterans.”

“This bill make a significant difference for active duty troops and veterans and along with those who suffer visual problems related to traumatic brain injury,” said Thomas Zampieri,  BVA director of government relations. “We’re pleased at the bipartisan effort in Congress to pass this bill, and we’re appreciative of the leadership role that the Academy took with the legislation. We look forward to working with the Academy on the implementation of this measure.”

The legislation would require ophthalmologists in the DoD to report surgeries or other procedures to the registry within 30 days. Information relating to additional treatments, surgical procedures, and eventual visual outcomes would be accessible by the DoD ophthalmologist who initially treated the patient as well as any future ophthalmologist in the VA.  In addition to eye injuries, the registry will also cover blast injuries with visual symptoms. The Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., is a potential location for the Center of Excellence, which will act as a central resource. The measure passed by Congress does not currently provide for funding for the Center or registry.

Between October 2001 and June 2006, more than 1,000 service-members with combat related eye trauma were evacuated from overseas military operations, making serious ocular injuries one of the most common types of injury experienced by service members serving in the Middle East.  Many combat eye injuries require multiple surgical procedures and treatments at several facilities.  In addition, a significant number of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are also experiencing vision impairment caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI); some 54 percent of soldiers treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center who have traumatic brain injuries are reporting vision problems.  As many as 16 percent of all soldiers returning from Iraq are experiencing significant vision dysfunction problems.

U.S. veterans seeking information on eye care and where to get it are encouraged to visit the Academy-sponsored Web site www.VeteransEyeCare.com.

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About the American Academy of Ophthalmology
AAO is the world's largest association of eye physicians and surgeons—Eye M.D.s—with more than 27,000 members worldwide.  Eye health care is provided by the three “O’s” – opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists. It is the ophthalmologist, or Eye M.D., who can treat it all: eye diseases and injuries, and perform eye surgery. To find an Eye M.D. in your area, visit the Academy's Web site at www.aao.org.