The Best Dentistry Professional Visual Acuity Measured under Simulated Clinical Conditions Provides Keplerian Magnification Loupe: A Cross-Sectional Study

Iris Urlic,Zoran Karlovic,Zeljko Verzak,Josip Pavan,Dubravka Negovetic Vranic

doi:10.3390/dj9060069

Iris Urlic, Zoran Karlovic + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/dj9060069

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Abstract

Visual acuity plays an important role in dentists’ vision in their daily clinical routine. This study aimed to determine dental students’ visual acuity without optical aids and when using magnification devices in simulated clinical conditions. The participants were forty-six students at the School of Dental Medicine with a visual acuity of 1.0 in decimal values or 100% in percentage. The central visual acuity was tested using a miniature Snellen eye chart placed in the molar cavity of a dental phantom, in simulated clinical conditions under five different settings (natural visual acuity, by applying head magnifying glasses x1,5 and binocular magnifying devices using Galileo’s x2,5/350 mm, Keplerx3,3/450 mm and Keplerx4,5/350 mm optical system). The Wilcoxon Signed Rank test shows that the distribution of measurements of the visual acuity undertaken by the application of magnifying devices (VNL, VGA2,5, VKP3,3, VKP4,5) contained higher values of visual acuity than those received by the use of natural vision (VSC) (p < 0.001 for the comparison to the VNL, VGA2,5, VKP3,3 and VKP4,5 groups). The highest and statistically most significant increase in visual acuity is achieved using the Keplerian telescope x4.5/350 mm. The application of magnifying devices provided dentistry professionals with better visual acuity, improving detail detection in an oral cavity during dental procedures by magnifying the oral structure. The use of magnification devices means much more precise work, decreases the operating time, improves posture and reduces muscle pain in the shoulder during dental treatment.

Highlights

By using magnifying aids, a dentist achieves ergonomic, musculoskeletal and optical benefits, and the magnification compensates for the weakening of eye accommodation, which occurs after the age of forty
Visual acuity was examined at close range within each individual group and the following were compared: the control group with each individual group corrected by a magnifying aid; visual acuity in the vicinity of the Kepler/Galileo systems; visual acuity in the vicinity of the Keplerian optical systems
This study shows that it is justified to start using the Galileo optical systems x2,5 at a working distance of 350 mm for dental students, dental technicians and dentists who are beginning to adapt to magnification [12]

Summary

Introduction

A dentist achieves ergonomic, musculoskeletal and optical benefits, and the magnification compensates for the weakening of eye accommodation, which occurs after the age of forty (presbyopia). The use of telescope magnification devices proved to improve the diagnosis and treatments in dental medicine [1,2]. Magnification in dentistry upgrades soft and hard tissue evaluation, calculus and periodontal pocket detection, restorative evaluation and radiological interpretation [3,4]. Demanding eye-hand coordination and tactile perception require the highest visual function, three-dimensional image creation, stereo vision and object depth perception as well as other psychological and neurological qualities [3]. Magnification is achieved by a system of lenses used in the Galileo and Kepler optical systems. The loupe’s ergonomic factors are the declination angle, working distance and frame size [6]

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