A Longitudinal Study of Acuity and Phoria among Submariners

摘要

In 1951, a group of 1,064 submariners were given a battery of visual tests in order to assess the visual characteristics of the population at that time. A sample (51 individuals) of the original group was recently retested on the same battery, in order to assess the effects of long-term submarine duty (15 years) on vision. It was found that certain changes have taken place over the 15 year period, most notably, a loss of visual acuity, at both near and far, and a tendency toward esophoria. While some decrement in vision is expected as a function of age, these changes are larger than that predicted for men of their age level. It is suggested that the confining nature of the submarine with the constant requirement for accommodation and convergence might cause a visual impairment. (Author)