Teleophthalmology in the United States Army

28.9 Conclusions

Delivering timely, cost-effective, quality care to beneficiaries and consultation partners is the goal of all health care systems. The particular challenges of distance, geography, and logistics faced by US Army ophthalmologists as they deliver this care attest to the ever-increasing relevance of telemedicine. Research and implementation of teleophthalmology solutions are providing opportunities to improve care, expand knowledge through training and distance learning, and provide services that were not possible a few short years before. Many of these applications, which are in use today, enable Army ophthalmologists both to assist other health care providers, and to deliver care directly to a geographically diverse beneficiary population. US Army ophthalmologists continue to develop and research new technologies in an effort to shorten the distance between the injured soldier or ill retiree and the ophthalmologist’s exam chair, thereby speeding interventions to preserve ocular health.