title: Laser in situ keratomileusis in United States Naval aviators.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the safety and efficacy of femtosecond-assisted wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) as well as higher-order aberrometric changes in a population of active-duty United States Naval aviators.
  
  
  METHODS
  Navy Refractive Surgery Centers, San Diego, California, and Portsmouth, Virginia, USA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective noncomparative 2-site study.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study of femtosecond-assisted wavefront-guided LASIK, 3 groups were differentiated according to the refractive status: myopia, mixed astigmatism, and hyperopia. Uncorrected (UDVA) and corrected (CDVA) distance visual acuities, refraction, mesopic low-contrast CDVA, higher-order aberrations (HOAs), and patient satisfaction were evaluated during a 3-month follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study enrolled, treated, and included for analysis 548 eyes with myopia, 60 eyes with mixed astigmatism, and 25 eyes with hyperopia. The UDVA was 20/20 or better in 98.3% of eyes with myopia and mixed astigmatism at all postoperative visits and in 95.7% of hyperopic eyes 3 months postoperatively. The gain in CDVA was 1 or more lines in 39.2%, 41.1%, and 30.4% of myopic, mixed astigmatic and hyperopic eyes, respectively. Loss of 2 lines of CDVA after surgery occurred in 2 myopic eyes (0.4%). At 3 months, a mean change of +0.03 μm ± 0.10 (SD) and +0.05 ± 0.08 μm was observed in higher-order root mean square and primary spherical aberration, respectively. Of the patients, 95.9% said they believed that LASIK had helped their effectiveness as Naval aviators and 99.6% would recommend the same treatment to others.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Femtosecond-assisted wavefront-guided LASIK was an efficacious and safe option for refractive correction in Naval aviators, enabling a quick return to flight status.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Drs. Tanzer and Schallhorn are consultants to Abbott Medical Optics, Inc. No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
authors.affiliation: Navy Refractive Surgery Center, Naval Medical Center, San Diego, California, USA. djtanzermd@yahoo.com
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Tanzer
authors.forename: Tyson
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brunstetter
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zeber
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hofmeister
authors.forename: Sandor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaupp
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Myah
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mirzaoff
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sray
authors.forename: Mitch
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schallhorn
mesh_terms: D057128:Aberrometry; D000328:Adult; D001251:Astigmatism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001359:Aviation; D006801:Humans; D006956:Hyperopia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D054018:Lasers, Excimer / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D009216:Myopia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology