DOD opens refractive surgery center in Texas

San Antonio, TX-The first Department of Defense (DOD) Joint Warfighter Refractive Surgery Center opened Aug. 23 at Wilford Hall Medical Center (59th Medical Wing), Lackland Air Force Base.

"Every year, the U.S. Air Force spends billions of dollars upgrading the capabilities of our weapons systems, like upgrading avionics on the F-16 or F-22," said Charles D. Reilly, MD, a lieutenant colonel, chief of the center, and consultant to the Air Force surgeon general for refractive surgery. "The new laser ambulatory surgery center brings the latest state-of-the art technology to allow us to upgrade the avionics of our most important weapons system-our people."

The $2.7 million renovated facility contains three temperature- and humidity-controlled laser surgery suites and adds eight Air Force and Army surgeons. The center is the only one authorized to perform LASIK on Air Force pilots; runs the only Air Force residency program in ophthalmology, which is the DOD's largest ophthalmology residency program; and, through a program with the University of Texas Health Science Center, also provides training in refractive surgery to civilian ophthalmology residents.