House focusing on eye injuries in combat bill

[RamboLiberal]

Source: USA Today

Eye trauma, from sight impairment to blindness, is now among the most common wounds for U.S. troops engaged in combat.
At least 1,126 U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have suffered eye wounds requiring surgery, with half incurring temporary blindness in one or both eyes, according to Army statistics.

Eye damage constitutes from 10.7% to 13% of all serious wounds suffered by U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan that require evacuation from the war zone, say current and former Army ophthalmologists.

That is the highest percentage for eye wounds for any major conflict dating back to World War I, according to 1997 research published in the Survey of Ophthalmology.

Because of the increasing number of eye injuries, lawmakers have introduced bipartisan legislation to create a $5 million Pentagon-based center for research and treatment of damaged eyes. The bill would also create a registry to track wounds and their treatment.



Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-10-03-eyes_N.htm

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Wingnuts in the military pay attention - none of this was happening for you and your fellow troops till Democrats came to power in Congress. Republicans only support the troops with yellow ribbons on their Hummers and SUVs!

[hedgehog]

1. Where did I see the commentary that this war is producing the

injury of the week - first amputations, then brain injuries now eye injuries. At least it lets people know that "wounded" doesn't mean a neat bullet hole through the fleshy part of the arm!