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Title: Contact lens wear with the USAF protective integrated hood/mask chemical defense ensemble

Abstract

The Protective Integrated Hood/Mask (PIHM) chemical defense aircrew ensemble blows air from the mask's plenum across the visor at a rate of approximately 15 L/min in order to prevent fogging of the visor and to cool the aircrew member's face. This study was designed to determine the effect of the PIHM airflow on soft contact lens (SCL) dehydration, contact lens comfort, and corneal integrity. There were 26 subjects who participated in this study: 15 SCL wearers, six rigid gas-permeable (RGP) wearers, and five nonspectacle wearing controls. Contrast acuity with the three Regan charts, subjective comfort, and relative humidity (RH) and temperature readings under the PIHM mask were monitored every 0.5 h during 6-h laboratory rides. Slit-lamp examinations and SCL water content measurements with a hand-held Abbe refractometer were made before and after the rides. High RH under the mask may have accounted for the moderate SCL dehydration (8.3 percent), no decrease in contrast acuity for any group, and lack of corneal stress. Although all groups experienced some inferior, epithelial, punctate keratopathy, RGP wearers had the most significant effects. SCLs performed relatively well in the PIHM mask environment. Testing with other parameter designs is necessary before recommending RGPs with the PIHMmore » system. 19 refs.« less

Authors:
; ; ;  [1]
  1. USAF, Armstrong Laboratory, Brooks AFB, TX (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
7200678
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 63:7; Journal ID: ISSN 0095-6562
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE; CHEMICAL WARFARE; PROTECTIVE CLOTHING; DESIGN; AMBIENT TEMPERATURE; CORNEA; HUMAN FACTORS ENGINEERING; HUMIDITY; VISION; BODY; BODY AREAS; CLOTHING; ENGINEERING; EYES; FACE; HEAD; ORGANS; SENSE ORGANS; WARFARE; 450600* - Military Technology, Weaponry, & National Defense- Chemical & Biological- (1990)

Citation Formats

Dennis, R J, Miller, II, R E, Peterson, R D, and Jackson, Jr, W G. Contact lens wear with the USAF protective integrated hood/mask chemical defense ensemble. United States: N. p., 1992. Web.
Dennis, R J, Miller, II, R E, Peterson, R D, & Jackson, Jr, W G. Contact lens wear with the USAF protective integrated hood/mask chemical defense ensemble. United States.
Dennis, R J, Miller, II, R E, Peterson, R D, and Jackson, Jr, W G. 1992. "Contact lens wear with the USAF protective integrated hood/mask chemical defense ensemble". United States.
@article{osti_7200678,
title = {Contact lens wear with the USAF protective integrated hood/mask chemical defense ensemble},
author = {Dennis, R J and Miller, II, R E and Peterson, R D and Jackson, Jr, W G},
abstractNote = {The Protective Integrated Hood/Mask (PIHM) chemical defense aircrew ensemble blows air from the mask's plenum across the visor at a rate of approximately 15 L/min in order to prevent fogging of the visor and to cool the aircrew member's face. This study was designed to determine the effect of the PIHM airflow on soft contact lens (SCL) dehydration, contact lens comfort, and corneal integrity. There were 26 subjects who participated in this study: 15 SCL wearers, six rigid gas-permeable (RGP) wearers, and five nonspectacle wearing controls. Contrast acuity with the three Regan charts, subjective comfort, and relative humidity (RH) and temperature readings under the PIHM mask were monitored every 0.5 h during 6-h laboratory rides. Slit-lamp examinations and SCL water content measurements with a hand-held Abbe refractometer were made before and after the rides. High RH under the mask may have accounted for the moderate SCL dehydration (8.3 percent), no decrease in contrast acuity for any group, and lack of corneal stress. Although all groups experienced some inferior, epithelial, punctate keratopathy, RGP wearers had the most significant effects. SCLs performed relatively well in the PIHM mask environment. Testing with other parameter designs is necessary before recommending RGPs with the PIHM system. 19 refs.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/7200678}, journal = {Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine; (United States)},
issn = {0095-6562},
number = ,
volume = 63:7,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992},
month = {Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992}
}