LRMC optometry services open to all eligible family members, retirees, others

A patient at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center’s Optometry Clinic undergoes a vision test to determine eyeglass prescription, Feb. 4. Landstuhl Regional Medical Center’s Optometry Clinic offers services to active-duty service members, their eligible family members, retirees and their eligible family members, and federal employees on a space-available basis.

Landstuhl Regional Medical Center’s Optometry Clinic is reiterating appointment availability for active-duty personnel and their families, as well as space-available services to all other eligible beneficiaries.

According to U.S. Army Capt. Todd Christensen, officer in charge of LRMC’s Optometry Clinic, services go beyond routine eye care and exams to include acute eye care to diagnose and treat eye injuries such as irritation, infection or foreign objects entering the eye. Other services include pediatric exams for ages five and above, diabetic eye exams, eyeglass prescriptions, contact lens updates, vision therapy, and driver’s license testing

While active-duty service members and their families are able to schedule optometry appointments in advance, military retirees and their family members and non-TRICARE beneficiaries are offered appointments on a space-available basis, meaning that if an appointment is available and not already booked, then other eligible beneficiaries may be seen in that time slot.

U.S. Army Capt. Shannon Kirchmer, an optometrist at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center’s Optometry Clinic, uses a phoropter to determine eyeglass prescription for a patient at LRMC’s Optometry Clinic, Feb. 4.

LRMC, the U.S. military’s largest hospital overseas, provides healthcare to beneficiaries according to the following basic priorities, as determined by DOD and TRICARE policies:

  • Priority 1: Active-duty service members
  • Priority 2: Active-duty family members enrolled in TRICARE Prime
  • Priority 3: Retirees, their family members and survivors who are enrolled in TRICARE Plus
  • Priority 4: Active-duty family members who are not enrolled in TRICARE Prime
  • Priority 5: All other TRICARE eligible persons
  • Priority 6: Non-TRICARE eligible persons (e.g. general schedule federal employees, AAFES and DODDS civilian employees)

The number of available appointments can vary widely according to variables such as hospital staffing and support for operational missions. Each month, LRMC updates the Specialty Care Availability Report that is posted online and will show which services are available to which beneficiary category during that particular month. The report can be found at https://rhce.amedd.army.mil/landstuhl/Services/Specialty_Care_Services.html and by clicking on the image to the right of the page.

The recent Military Health System transformation prioritizes efforts supporting the operational readiness of the Joint Force through medical readiness, to include providing beneficiaries with access to high-quality care. With increased access to care for family members at LRMC’s Optometry Clinic, service members can focus more on their mission instead of their family members’ health care.

For more information visit: https://rhce.amedd.army.mil/landstuhl/Services/optometry.html or call 06371-9464-5762.