C A P T C A R Y H A R R I S O N

M E D I C A L C O R P S , U . S . N A V Y

N A V A L M E D I C A L C E N T E R P O R T S M O U T H

Privileged to Serve:A look at Navy Ophthalmology

The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, or the United States Government.

Navy ophthalmologists

53 navy ophthalmologists including residents

11 are women

Most of us took an HPSP scholarship for medical school – we then owe one year of Naval service for every year of scholarship

Most of us do our residency training in the Navy after being a flight surgeon, dive medical officer or general medical officer for 2 years

In addition to being physicians, we take our role as Naval Officers very seriously

Leading and mentoring junior troops

Setting a good example

Standing inspections and being the inspecting officers

Participating in selection boards

Participating in ceremonies

Our practice

Our ophthalmology practice model tends to be very different from civilian practices

Fewer techs per physician, so don’t usually see more than 30 patients/day

More time to talk to our patients As we get more senior we are usually expected to take

leadership positions Sometimes solo practitioners, work closely with our

optometry colleagues Our patients are active duty, retirees and their family

members In addition to providing ophthalmic care we do fitness for

duty evaluations and medical boards

Where are we?

We are stationed in Navy, Army and Air Force hospitals. The Navy hospitals are in Naples, Italy, Okinawa and Yokosuka, Japan, and all over the United States

We often travel to provide ophthalmology coverage at additional hospitals (Guantanamo Bay, Misawa Air Base, Naval Health Clinic New England, Naval Hospital Rota, Spain) to support the optometrists stationed there

Comprehensive ophthalmologists often move every 3 years, and subspecialists usually stay at Naval Medical Center San Diego or Walter Reed Military Medical Center (sites of residency programs)

Deployments

We deploy periodically as part of our job

As an ophthalmologist

In a leadership role

On ships and on land

All over the world

With the Navy, Marines, Army and Air Force

For ophthalmologists, these are almost always voluntary

Do combat training as needed for deployments

Can be one week to a year long

All of us have “sea stories”

Humanitarian missions

We also deploy for humanitarian missions

Disaster relief (e.g. after Haiti earthquake)

These are often very short notice deployments

Train local physicians

Provide surgical care to underserved patients

Refractive Surgery in the Navy

Program is led by CAPT Elizabeth Hofmeister

6 Navy laser centers, 3 Joint centers with AF/Army

Funded by the fleet, not medical, only treat active duty; intent is to make sailors and marines better warfighters

Mostly PRK and LASIK with smaller numbers of ICLs

Robust research program (PROWL, etc.)

# procedures (eyes) treated withPRK and LASIK by fiscal year

Fiscal Year Army Navy Air Force Total

2000 1,431 2,950 0 4,381

2001 3,334 4,230 2,361 9,925

2002 7,150 4,230 5,700 17,080

2003 15,288 6,130 7,347 28,765

2004 15,348 8,000 9,300 32,648

2005 24,340 17,130 9,220 50,690

2006 24,270 14,236 7,773 46,279

2007 24,278 11,481 7,926 43,685

2008 27,348 12,782 7,785 47,915

2009 26,202 12,789 7,973 46,964

2010 24,214 13,020 8,982 46,216

2011 26,678 13,369 9,292 49,339

2012 23,323 14,361 9,683 47,367

2013 20,197 13,841 9,465 43,503

2014 17,125 11,877 9,778 38,780

2015 15,273 10,789 11,462 37,524

Total 295,799 171,215 124,047 591,061

Questions?