Laser Eye Injuries Among Us Military Personnel

In this study reports of laser injuries in all three military services (Air Force, Army and Navy/Marine) are compared. In collecting data for this study laser injury reports provided by Rockwell Laser Industries (RLI), the United States Army Medical Research Detachment of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research which,maintain's the Laser Accident and Incident Registry (LAIR), the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Devices and: Radiological Health (CDRH), and the three service Safety Centers. We found a total of 29 laser injury reports that met our case definition. Since 1965, when the first injury occurred, there have been 6 Air Force, 15 Army, And8-Navy/Manine injuries reported. Statistical analysis of data analyzed thus far shows no difference between the services in 8-year risk groupings between 1965-2002.