Survey Shows Radiologists Need Standards to Ensure Optimal Visual Accuracy

A new study revealed that approximately 50% of radiologists surveyed indicated they do not recall ever having their vision tested or it had been 24 months or longer since their last vision exam.

Radiologists, similar to professional pilots, for example, depend on good vision as part of their occupation. However, radiologists unlike pilots are not required to undergo regular vision testing. The study, performed at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (Baltimore, MD, USA), included 48 radiologists who opted to undergo a brief survey before undergoing visual acuity testing. "Of the 48 participating radiologists, eight could not recall ever having their vision examined,” said Nabile Safdar, M.D., lead author of the study. "Fourteen of the participants reported that their last eye examinations were 24 months or more in the past. One radiologist even indicated that it had been 15 years since his last eye examination,” said Dr. Safdar. The visual acuity of the participant radiologists at any given measurement ranged from 20/30 to 20/10.

"Physicians and patients depend on the ability of radiologists to accurately discriminate findings and render appropriate diagnoses based on these findings,” he said.

"Although the variation we found in visual acuity among radiologists is unlikely to have an influence on clinical diagnostic performance, as radiologists, we may have a responsibility to our patients and ourselves--to make sure our vision is as good as possible. In the future, professional guidelines should be considered to ensure optimal visual accuracy,” said Dr. Safdar.

This study was published in the June 2009 issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR).

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University of Maryland School of Medicine