PMID- 10477505
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 19991104
LR  - 20071115
IS  - 0949-2321 (Print)
IS  - 0949-2321 (Linking)
VI  - 4
IP  - 9
DP  - 1999 Sep 9
TI  - New refractive surgery procedures in ophthalmology and the influence on Pilot's 
      fitness for flying.
PG  - 382-4
AB  - During the last years more and more procedures came up to render people with 
      refractive errors possible to see without contact lenses or glasses. The 
      different procedures for hyperopia, myopia and astigmatism are performed in 
      increasing numbers in hospitals, laser-centres and in private practise. Modern 
      radial keratotomy was introduced in the late 70 by the Russian Fjodorov. Because 
      of the many complications this procedure was replaced by other procedures. 
      Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) was introduced in 1985, using an excimer laser 
      to vaporize corneal tissue. Because of the side effects as pain and glare and the 
      limited indication area Laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) was developed. In 
      this procedure a corneal lamella is cut in, flapped back and the excimer laser 
      vaporize the corneal tissue. These two procedures are mostly applied nowadays. 
      But there are also new techniques that are still in an experimental state. One of 
      that is the implementation of an intrastromal corneal ring that can reduce myopia 
      up to 4 diopters. During the laser thermo keratoplasty 8 to 16 laser applications 
      are performed in the periphery of the cornea to reduce hyperopia up to + 5 
      diopters. Another refractive surgery procedure is the phakic intraocular lens 
      implantation for high myopia and +3 to +10 diopters hyperopia and the clear lens 
      extraction with intraocular lens implantation for high hyperopia. The Joint 
      Aviation Authority Requirements allow a hyperopia and myopia for commercial 
      pilots of 3 diopters. Some pilot candidates with higher refractive errors undergo 
      refractive surgery. But there are also pilots who are customers of the refractive 
      operating ophthalmologists to get rid of the crutch glasses. This paper gives an 
      overview about the refractive procedures that are performed nowadays on pilots 
      and pilot candidates and gives information about the relevant indications and 
      complications of refractive procedures in the aviation environment.
FAU - Stern, C
AU  - Stern C
AD  - Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center DLR, Linder Hohe, 
      D-51146 Cologne, Germany. Claudia.Stern@dlr.de
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Review
PL  - England
TA  - Eur J Med Res
JT  - European journal of medical research
JID - 9517857
SB  - IM
MH  - Adult
MH  - Aerospace Medicine/*standards
MH  - Aircraft
MH  - Humans
MH  - *Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ
MH  - Middle Aged
MH  - Myopia/*surgery
MH  - *Practice Guidelines as Topic
RF  - 21
EDAT- 1999/09/08 00:00
MHDA- 1999/09/08 00:01
CRDT- 1999/09/08 00:00
PHST- 1999/09/08 00:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 1999/09/08 00:01 [medline]
PHST- 1999/09/08 00:00 [entrez]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Eur J Med Res. 1999 Sep 9;4(9):382-4.