Attrition of military enlistees with a medical waiver for myopia, 1999-2001.
BACKGROUND
Military service requires physical fitness, including vision within set standards. Premature attrition inflicts a considerable manpower and fiscal burden upon the military.


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective cohort survival analysis of newly enlisted military personnel who entered active duty with a medical waiver for myopia between January 1, 1999, and December 31, 2001. Premature attrition rates, both medical and overall, were compared with those for a matched, fully qualified, comparison group.


RESULTS
New enlistees with a waiver for myopia had the same probability of remaining on active duty through the first 2 years of service as did fully qualified peers. Enlistees with a waiver for myopia also had a low probability of an early medical discharge for myopia.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study tend to validate the current branch-specific myopia waiver processes. They also provide evidence that current myopia accession criteria may be too restrictive and in need of policy review.
Otto
William C
WC
Division of Biometrics and Preventive Medicine, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
Niebuhr
David W
DW
Powers
Timothy E
TE
Krauss
Margot R
MR
McVeigh
Francis L
FL
Tarbett
Aaron K
AK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D033161:Government Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000592:standards*; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009216:Myopia / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation