April 2009
Volume 50, Issue 13
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   April 2009
Legal Blindness Among Vietnam, Gulf (Desert Storm), Afghanistan, and Iraq War Veterans
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • L. M. Dao
    Ophthalmology, UT Southwestern, Dallas, Texas
  • B. Sullivan
    Ophthalmology, UT Southwestern, Dallas, Texas
  • J. Whitson
    Ophthalmology, UT Southwestern, Dallas, Texas
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships  L.M. Dao, None; B. Sullivan, None; J. Whitson, None.
  • Footnotes
    Support  None.
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science April 2009, Vol.50, 3201. doi:
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      L. M. Dao, B. Sullivan, J. Whitson; Legal Blindness Among Vietnam, Gulf (Desert Storm), Afghanistan, and Iraq War Veterans. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2009;50(13):3201.

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Abstract

Purpose: : To explore the causes of legal blindness among veterans who served in the Vietnam War, Gulf War, Afghanistan War, and Iraq War.

Methods: : Retrospective medical record review of legally blind veterans at the Dallas VA Medical Center who served in the above wars. One hundred and twenty-eight patients were included in the study. Demographic data, war served, and cause of blindness were recorded.

Results: : There were zero legally blind veterans who served in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars currently undergoing treatment at the VA Medical Center in Dallas. There were eight legally blind veterans who served in the Gulf War. The causes of blindness include diabetic retinopathy (2), Retinitis Pigmentosa (2), and trauma, cortical blindness, CMV retinitis associated with HIV, bilateral retinal detachment in one patient each. Among Vietnam War veterans, there were 120 included in this study. The main causes of blindness include: diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, optic neuropathy, retinitis pigmentosa and trauma.

Conclusions: : The causes of blindness among veterans were found to be similar to the general population for race and age. There were no more traumatic cases than seen in the general population.

Keywords: low vision • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: prevalence/incidence • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: natural history 
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