JULY 12, 2024 – Despite the continued development of munitions that create new types of blast fragments that can injure eyes, evidence indicates decreasing rates of eye injuries in the military. This is largely due to the Department of Defense’s efforts to ensure that service members wear protective eyewear that meets necessary ballistic-impact criteria through the development and continued updating of the Authorized Protective Eyewear List, commonly referred to as the APEL.
“The APEL was developed in 2006 to address high and increasing numbers of battlefield eye injuries,” said Dr. Robert Kang, optometrist for the Defense Health Agency Tri-Service Vision Conservation and Readiness Branch. “The APEL is updated every two years to allow for new developments in technology and user requirements.”
What is the APEL?
The APEL is a Qualified Product List of the specific commercially produced-protective eyewear that is available in spectacles and goggles and has been tested to meet stringent military ballistic fragmentation requirements. The APEL is overseen by the Military Combat Eyewear Protection, or MCEP, program which is managed by the Army’s Program Executive Office, known as PEO Soldier.
APEL eyewear meets both civilian occupational and additional military safety requirements for splash, radiation, dust, mist, impact, and ultraviolet or UV hazards, as well as for ballistic resistance.
In addition to ballistic and UV protection performance standards, U.S. military standards are routinely updated for the following performance standards: anti-scratch and optical clarity, fit, chemical resistance, and stability properties to minimize any negative impact on the eyewear’s performance when exposed to a range of temperatures or levels of humidity.
“The testing is robust so that we know we are offering the best protection to our warfighters,” said Kang. “Especially important though, because the products are developed by commercial manufacturers, is that the eyewear incorporates comfort and popular aesthetic qualities. This has been the key to ensuring that soldiers obtain and wear APEL eyewear.”
Current APEL products include Rapid Light Adaptive Eyewear, or RLAE, and cold weather specific eyewear with enhanced anti-fogging features. RLAE lenses, available in spectacles and goggles, can transition between light and dark in less than one second, in either auto or manual mode. The RLAE helps accommodate a sudden change in light condition, an important feature in modern urban warfare.
“We have recently been supporting the evaluation of tinted lenses for those who find the current option of either clear or dark sun lenses too limiting,” said Kang. “Different mission environments and individual preferences indicate that allowing options in the degree or color of tints may improve performance and user acceptance.”
To address eye hazards from the increasing number of powerful lasers on the modern battlefield, a new generation of laser eye protection devices has also been developed, he said. Laser eye protection will be available to units with specific needs.
APEL-qualified eyewear carries the APEL logo on the eyewear itself. Eyewear that does not carry the APEL logo is not authorized for use by U.S. armed forces. It does not matter if the eyewear meets the American National Standards Institute standard, or what a manufacturer claims, or if a manufacturer has had other items on the APEL. It also does not matter if the Exchange or Military Clothing Sales Stores sell the eyewear. What matters is that the protective eyewear must bear the approved APEL logo.
“The APEL logo lets leaders know that personnel are wearing authorized protection,” said Kang.
What if I Have a Medical Prescription for Vision Correction?
“About half of all soldiers require a prescription for vision correction or to improve visual performance,” said Kang. “Many APEL items, including both spectacles and goggles, are compatible with the Universal Prescription Lens Carrier, or UPLC, for those who require a medical prescription for visual correction.”
By checking the information on the PEO Soldier APEL website, personnel can learn which eyewear is UPLC compatible. Service members who require a prescription should use a military optometry clinic to obtain the proper prescription lens carriers for their APEL eyewear.
Deployed service members may also obtain a replacement prescription through the Government Eyewear System known as G-Eyes.
How Can I Obtain Eyewear from the APEL?
“A service member can pick a product of their choice from the APEL based on style, function, comfort, and mission requirements,” said Kang. “Options include spectacle and goggle formats.”
Many military clothing sales stores carry APEL items. Units can also order APEL eyewear through the supply system with the eyewear’s corresponding National Stock Number, known as its NSN. Eyewear NSNs are listed on both the PEO APEL website and APEL poster. NSNs for replacement components are also available. View the spare parts listing per eyewear by selecting the individual eyewear from the eyewear webpage.
Also critical to some units and personnel is laser eye protection, known as LEP.
LEP-specific APEL is only available from PEO Soldier. Units and individuals should contact the program office to obtain LEP.
When Should I Get New Eyewear?
To optimize visual capabilities, service members should:
- Check eyewear for damage and consider wear and tear. Typical use for protective eyewear lenses is six months. Scratched lenses may prevent clear vision and may not provide the necessary ballistics or anti-fog protection.
- Stay up to date with the latest developments in APEL. The current APEL was last updated in June 2022, which means another update is expected later in 2024.
- Get regular eye examinations and prescription updates.
How old is your MCEP insert? If it is more than two years old, have your eyes checked to ensure you have a current prescription that will meet your visual needs. New technology under development may allow prescription correction to be integrated in the protective lens, i.e., no need for inserts. If successful, this innovation will significantly improve vision and comfort to those service members who currently depend on prescription inserts.
Are you seeing 20/20? Even if you conduct tasks well, you may not realize that a prescription lens could further enhance your vision and help you perform even better. Eye exams every one to two –may help determine if prescription eyewear can provide vision enhancement.
All active duty service members benefit from the DHA expertise that helps to ensure that APEL eyewear provides quality eye protection. Check out the various eye protection devices available.
By V. Hauschild, MPH
Defense Health Agency-Public Health