Teecht. Novel Surgical Technique Saves Airmen’S Eyesight, Careers

By Laurie Wilson,  U.S. Air Force Academy

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- For patients amongst the progressive oculus diseases keratoconus together with corneal ectasia, the odds of their careers ending prematurely changed dramatically May 3, when innovative Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation surgery, called collagen crosslinking, was performed here.

Air Force Maj. (Dr.) Marc Neuffer, primary of cornea together with refractive surgery at the tenth Medical Group, corrected satellite engineer Air Force Capt. Brent Danner’s degenerative oculus condition.

‘Groundbreaking Capability’

“This groundbreaking capability to right the status allows us to care for cadets together with active-duty members hither together with from surrounding areas,” Neuffer said. “They proceed their vision together with remain eligible for deployment.”

Cadets diagnosed amongst the status are non commissioned unless they have a waiver, together with pilots amongst the status are restricted from flying.

“Keratoconus is virtually unremarkably establish inward individuals betwixt xx together with xxx years of age,” Neuffer said. “It eventually leads to loss of sight requiring corneal transplantation.”

Neuffer said the status typically isn’t diagnosed until afterward an private has joined the armed services together with is good into their career. Once discovered, it becomes a duty-limiting status that tin resultant inward medical discharge from active-duty service.

Sight-Saving Surgery

Collagen crosslinking was approved past times the Food together with Drug Administration inward 2016 equally a way to care for progressive keratoconus. The surgery stiffens together with stabilizes the cornea which stops the degenerative process. Patients typically proceed their vision together with don’t postulate corneal transplants.

For airmen similar Danner, the physical care for way the time to come looks a lot brighter.

“I’m a piffling nervous because I’m the kickoff patient hither to larn this done,” Danner said. “I’m too excited together with positive because of what it way to my family, my career together with for my sight.”

Neuffer’s instant patient of the hateful solar daytime was a cadet together with the Dr. said both surgeries went smoothly. The Dr. expects both patients to apace recover together with provide to duty.

The university is the 3rd Air Force place to offering the procedure. Currently, in that place are fifteen base of operations patients awaiting the procedure. This does non include patients from Peterson together with Schriever Air Force bases, or Fort Carson, installations that refer their keratoconus patients to the university for the surgery. The university is too the referral centre for 10 additional Air Force bases inward the surrounding states.

“This physical care for is a game changer for airmen who would otherwise accept their careers sidelined permanently,” Neuffer said.