Background: In 2015, the Republic of Korea Armed Forces implemented a telemedicine pilot program that included teleophthalmology services provided through booths in remote and medically underserved military units linked to the Medical Emergency Operation Center. This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology, distribution, and injury patterns of eye diseases managed using this military telemedicine program.
Methods: Teleophthalmology consultations conducted between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Diagnoses, causes of trauma, seasonal distributions, and evacuation trends were analyzed.
Results: Among the 47,701 telemedicine patients, 3,167 were ophthalmology patients. The most common diagnoses were hordeolum/chalazion (39.3%) and viral conjunctivitis (20.3%). Ocular trauma and injury occurred in 384 cases, most of which were caused by task-related activities (47.1%), particularly welding and exposure to metal fragments. Seasonal variation was significant, with the highest trauma incidence observed in summer (P = 0.014). Evacuation was required in 19.4% of ophthalmology patients and 49.9% of trauma and injury cases.
Conclusion: This was the first long-term analysis of a military teleophthalmology program in South Korea. The study findings demonstrate the effectiveness of telemedicine in remote military environments, and underscore the need for protective equipment and task-specific safety training. Further development of remote diagnostic tools and targeted preventive strategies is warranted to reduce injury-related evacuations and to support combat readiness.
Keywords: Medical Emergency Operation Center; Military; Ophthalmology; Telemedicine; Teleophthalmology.
© 2026 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.