Treatment and Referrals

Defense Health Agency Ocular Trauma Centers (OTC) are tertiary eye care facilities central to the support of ocular trauma requirements within the Military Health System. They are located at established Department of Defense (DOD) Ophthalmology Graduate Medical Education programs in Trauma Level I or II facilities (or equivalent) in areas with large populations of armed forces and covered beneficiaries and an identified need for services, based on the volume of patients served. OTCs serve as referral centers for armed forces and covered beneficiaries who require comprehensive ocular assessment, treatment, and referrals for vision rehabilitative services. Congress mandated that the OTCs “be the primary center for providing specialized medical services for vision for members of the Armed Forces in the region in which the center of excellence is located.”
The OTCs are integrated into four regional ophthalmology clinics enhanced in functionality and capability to incorporate all specialty and subspecialty services providing 24/7 care across the full range of eye injuries—from initial medical/surgical treatment through vision rehabilitation and follow-on care in DOD and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities.

• When to refer to an OTC:
  • Eye injury requires attention from a subspecialist not available at the referring location
  • Eye injury has significant complications
  • Eye injury requires attention from multiple specialties
  • Eye injury requires rehabilitation
    *Do not refer for routine ophthalmology or optometry visits
• OTCs provide services to:
  
  • Service members
  • Eligible beneficiaries, retirees, and veterans
• Centralized comprehensive quality assessment program for ocular trauma across the Military Health System
• Vision Care Services Coordinators assist with the continuity of care and referral process for the patient

Specialties

• Retina
• Cornea
• Oculoplastics
• Glaucoma
• Pediatrics/Strabismus
• Neuro-Ophthalmology
• Specialty/Medical Contact Lens
• Low Vision

Locations

• San Antonio, TX: Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC)/Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center (WHASC)
• National Capital Region: Walter Reed National Military Center (WRNMMC)/Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center (ATAMMC)
• Puget Sound, WA: Madigan Army Medical Center (MAMC)
• San Diego, CA: Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD)