The role of optometry in the USAF vision research program

Optometry has played a significant role in the USAF vision research program since the early 1960s. The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) sponsors active duty optometry officers for Ph.D. and masters programs in Physiological Optics at civilian universities. After training, they are assigned to research laboratories at Brooks AFB, TX, or Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. Senior research optometrists manage vision and medical research programs and have served on the staff of the United States Air Force (USAF) Surgeon General.

Research papers reporting on USAF vision research programs, especially those germane to improving aircrew combat effectiveness, have been published extensively by USAF optometrists in Air Force and joint services technical reports as well as the open literature. These programs include: refractive error trends, contact lenses, ophthalmic materials, night vision, aircraft transparency measurement, nuclear flashblindness, laser, and space flight. As long as vision remains the most important sensory input to the pilot, USAF optometrists will remain an integral part of the aerospace medical research team.