The military services are recognizing that eyeglasses can be a battlefield liability. Eyeglasses break
and fog up when subjected to the rigors of combat, like jumping out of airplanes, diving underwater or
crawling through dirt and sand, said Army Lt. Col. Scott Barnes, an ophthalmologist at the Warfighter
Refractive Eye Clinic at Fort Bragg, N.C. Contact lenses may be impractical substitutes in combat zones
because of dirt, grime and lack of convenient hygiene facilities. On the other hand, laser eye surgery
may eliminate the need for eyeglasses. Barnes said he would like to provide laser eye surgery for anybody
who wants it, but limited time and resources force him to give priority to troops most likely to see
combat. All the services offer laser eye surgery, although rules vary about who is eligible for it and
what military jobs qualify.
