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PHILIPPINE SEA – Experts commonly agree that sight is the most important of our five senses. Although an essential part of mission success, we often take it for granted. Everyone needs eye care, but aviators are among the few who require specialized attention to execute their job safely.
USS Carl Vinson recently embarked an aerospace optometrist, Lt. Sherry Sandri from Naval Air Station North Island, on a temporary assignment. She is working with Vinson’s medical team to provide care to sailors aboard.
“She’s a good leader,” said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Daniela Parra. “Very caring of people who come and seek help.”
She loves her profession and is always looking to help on any occasion.
“The best part of the job is getting to see the direct impact,” said Sandri. “Helping people see better and having them notice the difference makes me happy.”
An aircraft carrier is an industrial environment, and moving about the ship on a day-to-day basis without proper eye protection can lead to injuries. “Corneal scratches from metal or debris are common especially on the flight line,” Sandri said. “Many of the injuries I’ve seen could have been easily prevented if the sailor wore regular eye-pro.”
Highlighting these hazards and the proper protection against them can limit the potential for accidents. “Just like ear-pro, you want eye-pro all the time,” Sandri said. “I’ve seen a lot of injuries, and I’ve had a lot of patients that were innocent bystanders. I don’t recommend wearing contacts on the ship. There is always a risk of eye infection, and you can potentially go blind.”
While optometrists routinely conduct eye exams and prescribe glasses, Sandri’s profession has far more to offer in terms of patient care. Her skillset also involves the diagnosis and treatment of eye conditions, the most common of which being scratches, infection and inflammation.
When she is not busy seeing patients, Sandri has been eagerly adapting to ship life – a difficult adjustment to some, but one she has taken in stride: “Experiencing life on the ship has been great,” she said. “I still haven’t explored most of the ship.”
Excited to make the most of her experience underway, Sandri approaches her job in a similar manner. When asked why she does it, her answer was simple: “I’ve always wanted to be in healthcare and have a direct impact on people.” As Carl Vinson’s embarked aviation optometrist, Sandri is doing just that.
| Date Taken: | 12.08.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.18.2024 03:49 |
| Story ID: | 486965 |
| Location: | PHILIPPINE SEA |
| Web Views: | 6 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, A Real Clear Vision, by SR Pablo Chavez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
