Abstract
Background: Increasing numbers of young people of the appropriate age are joining the army after vision improvement by refractive surgery. However, there is little research on the long-term influence of this population and the potential impact on mission capability. Methods: A cluster sampling survey was conducted. The respondents were soldiers who planned to apply for military academies in a specific region of China in 2020. According to the Physical Examination Standards for Citizens Eligible for Enlistment and the Physical Examination Law for Citizens Eligible for Enlistment, a medical history inquiry, vision examination, color vision examination, slit-lamp examination, and personal interview were performed to obtain information regarding the patients' preoperative myopia, corneal refractive surgery method used, operation time, and symptoms of postoperative discomfort. Results: Among the 1263 soldiers who underwent the physical examination, 435 soldiers (862 eyes) had a history of corneal refractive surgery, accounting for 34.44%. Among the soldiers with a history of corneal refractive surgery, the treatment of preoperative low-grade myopia accounted for 41.61%, moderate-grade myopia accounted for 43.68%, and high-grade myopia accounted for 14.71%. Regarding the surgical methods used, small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) accounted for 23.44%, excimer laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) accounted for 66.67%, and trans-epithelial photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) accounted for 9.89%. The postoperative time was 2.76 ± 1.01 years. Soldiers with uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) ≤ 4.9 accounted for 3.94%, and soldiers with UCVA > 4.9 accounted for 96.06%. Slit-lamp examination found no surgical complications affecting visual function, such as dry eye syndrome, corneal infection, corneal haze (above grade 3), and corneal epithelial implantation. Conclusion: The proportion of soldiers who have undergone corneal refractive surgery has significantly increased, and LASIK is the main surgical method used. The impact of complications related to corneal refractive surgery on the army should be emphasized, and health education and reasonable training should be strengthened to avoid eye-related diseases.