Near visual acuity of dental hygienists with and without magnification.

Eichenberger, Martina; Perrin, Philippe; Sieber, Kevin Robert; Lussi, Adrian (2018). Near visual acuity of dental hygienists with and without magnification. International journal of dental hygiene, 16(3), pp. 357-361. Wiley 10.1111/idh.12341

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OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was (i) to evaluate the visual performance of dental hygienists in their clinical environment and (ii) to analyse the relationship between self-assessed and objectively measured visual acuity.

METHODS

The near visual acuity of 191 dental hygienists and dental hygiene students was self-assessed with a visual analogue scale and objectively measured with miniaturized visual tests in a simulated clinical setting. The visual acuity was also measured with magnification aids if they were part of the individual clinical equipment. The influence of age and magnification on the near visual acuity was analysed.

RESULTS

The visual performance with respect to dental working distance showed a variability of 300% in the dimension of the smallest recognized structure. A weak positive correlation between the self-assessed and objectively measured visual performance (Spearman's rank correlation = 0.27) and a highly significant impact of the test person's age and the use of loupes (both P < .0001) were found. Test subjects ≥40 years exhibited a similar visual acuity when using loupes compared to the visual acuity of test subjects <40 years without loupes.

CONCLUSIONS

The visual performance with respect to dental working distance cannot be self-assessed and varies individually. Dental hygienists and students of dental hygiene with a weak near visual acuity were not aware of their deficiencies. Optical aids should be used to compensate for individual visual deficiencies and are mandatory above an age of 40 years due to the effects of presbyopia.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > School of Dental Medicine
04 Faculty of Medicine > School of Dental Medicine > Department of Preventive, Restorative and Pediatric Dentistry

UniBE Contributor:

Eichenberger, Martina, Perrin, Philippe, Sieber, Kevin Robert, Lussi, Adrian

Subjects:

600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health

ISSN:

1601-5029

Publisher:

Wiley

Language:

English

Submitter:

Hendrik Meyer-Lückel

Date Deposited:

27 Feb 2019 10:51

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:25

Publisher DOI:

10.1111/idh.12341

PubMed ID:

29603638

Uncontrolled Keywords:

dental hygienists loupes magnification aids presbyopia visual acuity visual tests

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.125267

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/125267

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