The are many factors that come into play when successfully completing a mission as a U.S. Air Force Airman. Knowledge, agility, strength, and perception are just a few.
At the Aviano Air Base in Italy, the 31st Aerospace Medicine Squadron optometry clinic aims to ensure the eye health of every patient, eliminating any blurred lines. Their mission is to get all of those in their cair seeing 20/20 vision, according to U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Joel Ives, 31st Aerospace Medicine Squadron NCO in charge of optometry.
Active-duty members take priority at the clinic, while it still provides service to all at the base, they understand the integral role they play in supporting the mission by ensuring Airmen are able to physically complete their duties both locally and in deployed locations.
“If our members are unable to see clearly or sharply, accuracy in their tasks is not going to be the same and that may affect our mission,” said Ives.
The optometry team is made of only three technicians, conducting about 300 eye exams each month, checking for any changes in patient’s’ eyesight. Procedures are also performed monthly to detect and identify any diseases so they can be caught at the earliest stage possible.
On top of performing one dozen eye exams annually, the clinic also provides single, bifocal, trifocal, spectacle and contact lens prescriptions to active-duty professionals. “Our clinic also provides different types of inserts for the gas mask and ballistic eyewear required by some deployed locations,” said Ives.
The optometry are committed to ensuring optimal eye health for all members of the Aviano Air Base and confident they have the means to care for anyone who comes in. But their services offered mean nothing if they are not utilized.
However, members of Team Aviano also practice daily precautions to help keep their eye health optimal. Such precautions include not sleeping with contacts in, removing contacts if eyes begin to feel irritated, and giving your eyes a break by looking away from computer screens for at least every hour in addition to lowering the brightness level on electronic devices.
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