Department of defense eye injuries from fiscal year 1988-1998.
BACKGROUND
The U.S. Army Safety Center, U.S. Navy Safety Center, and U.S. Air Force Safety Center collect data on occupational injuries that occur in each respective military service.


METHODS
An 11-year retrospective study of ground eye injuries collected by the Army Safety Center, Navy Safety Center, and Air Force Safety Center, from Fiscal Year (FY) 1988 through FY 1998 was performed. Demographic data analyzed included rank, gender, age, and military/civilian status. Injury data analyzed included severity of injury, eye protection use, injury cost, work days lost due to injury, and days hospitalized due to injury.


RESULTS
Statistics for Department of Defense (DoD) eye injuries indicate the average military individual who sustains an eye injury is a 20- to 24-year-old male, E3-E5. This individual is not wearing eye protection and will lose an average of 5.9 days from work at a cost averaging $6,295. The average civil service employee who sustains an eye injury is a WG6-10 who is a 30- to 39-year-old male. This individual is not wearing eye protection and will lose an average of 3.5 days from work at a cost averaging $1,598. Statistically significant differences in the numbers of eye injuries were observed between military occupational groups. In addition, incidence rates between military occupational groups were statistically significant. Category 1, Infantry, Gun Crews, and Seamanship Specialists, has the highest count of injuries and Category 7, Craftsworkers, has the highest incidence.


CONCLUSIONS
Proactive vision conservation education at local levels needs to focus on these military occupational groups.
Buckingham
R S
RS
US Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Aberdeen Providing Ground, Maryland, USA. robertbuckingham@ferris.edu
Whitwell
K J
KJ
Lee
R B
RB
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005135:Eye Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012449:Safety; D014481:United States