OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to report the evolution of the U.S. Air Force Mobile Ophthalmic Surgical Team (MOST). METHODS: U.S. Air Force ophthalmologists at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, designed a small, portable, rapid-response eye surgical team. Field testing with humanitarian deployments refined the deployment package and provided operational training. RESULTS: MOST successfully deployed to Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Africa 42 times since 1991, with 50,287 patients examined/treated and 4,812 surgeries performed. Realistic readiness training was provided for 80% of U.S. Air Force ophthalmologists and Army, Navy, and Reserve colleagues. Subsequent modifications to the MOST improved its capability while reducing the size and weight of the team, equipment, and supplies by 50%. CONCLUSIONS: Using MOST humanitarian missions as a refining model, U.S. Air Force deployable ophthalmic assets are modular, lightweight, and multifunctional, which allows commanders to custom-build an appropriate response to each unique contingency, disaster, or humanitarian need with mission-ready ophthalmologists.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to report the evolution of the U.S. Air Force Mobile Ophthalmic Surgical Team (MOST). METHODS: U.S. Air Force ophthalmologists at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, designed a small, portable, rapid-response eye surgical team. Field testing with humanitarian deployments refined the deployment package and provided operational training. RESULTS: MOST successfully deployed to Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Africa 42 times since 1991, with 50,287 patients examined/treated and 4,812 surgeries performed. Realistic readiness training was provided for 80% of U.S. Air Force ophthalmologists and Army, Navy, and Reserve colleagues. Subsequent modifications to the MOST improved its capability while reducing the size and weight of the team, equipment, and supplies by 50%. CONCLUSIONS: Using MOST humanitarian missions as a refining model, U.S. Air Force deployable ophthalmic assets are modular, lightweight, and multifunctional, which allows commanders to custom-build an appropriate response to each unique contingency, disaster, or humanitarian need with mission-ready ophthalmologists.