Visual acuity of dentists in their respective clinical conditions
Date:
31 Jan 2014
Abstract
Objectives
This
study examined the impact of age and magnification on the near visual
acuity of dentists in their private practice under simulated clinical
conditions.
Materials and methods
Miniaturized
visual tests were fixed in posterior teeth of a dental phantom head and
brought to 31 dentists in their respective private practice. The visual
acuity of these dentists (n = 19, ≥40 years; n
= 12, <40 300="" a="" acuity="" additional="" and="" available.="" b="" c="" choice="" clinical="" conditions:="" distance="" following="" free="" if="" in="" light="" loupe="" measured="" mm="" natural="" nbsp="" of="" p="" setting="" source="" the="" under="" visual="" was="" years="">
Results
The
visual acuity under the different clinical conditions varied widely
between individuals. The older group of dentists had a lower median
visual acuity value under all clinical conditions. This difference was
highly significant for natural visual acuity at a free choice of
distance (p < 0.0001). For younger
dentists (<40 acuity="" be="" by="" class="a-plus-plus" could="" distance="" em="" eye-object="" improved="" nbsp="" reducing="" significantly="" the="" visual="" years="">p
Conclusions
Visual
performance decreased with increasing age under the specific clinical
conditions of each dentist’s private practice. Magnification aids can
compensate for visual deficiencies.
Clinical relevance
The
question of whether findings obtained under standardized conditions are
valuable for the habitual setting of each dentist’s private practice
seems clinically relevant.
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