The impact caused nerve damage to the Sailor s left eye making the iris unable to expand and contract normally with different variations of light. We were very concerned because we thought he might have an internal head injury, the SMO said. So we decided to use telemedicine, in this case, teleophthalmology, to get an opinion from ophthalmologists at Bethesda. Enterprise s medical department linked up live with the NNMC and, using an ophthalmoscope with a camera on it, the medical department showed the physician in Bethesda highly magnified images of the Sailor s eye. Studying the images, the ophthalmologist advised Enterprise doctors that the problem was most likely external and could be treated on the ship with special drops.
Enterprise is the second ship to receive the telemedicine equipment.
But, according to Barker, Enterprise s telemedicine equipment has some updates. We received the video slit lamp equipment, which allows us to send special images of the optic system, said Barker We are the first ship to have this capability. Telemedicine has definitely improved the quality of health care given to our Sailors at sea, Barker said. The best of Navy medicine has truly arrived on the deckplate.