Study: Do Radiologists Need Vision Standards?

Like professional pilots, radiologists depend on good vision as part of their occupation. However, unlike pilots, radiologists are not required to undergo regular vision testing. A recent study found that approximately 50% of radiologists surveyed indicated they don’t recall ever having their vision tested or it had been 24 months or longer since their last vision exam. The study appears in the June issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.
 
“Physicians and patients depend on the ability of radiologists to accurately discriminate findings and render appropriate diagnoses based on these findings,” says Nabile Safdar, MD, lead author of the study, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.
 
The study, performed at four different types of hospitals in the U.S. and abroad, 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,” says Safdar. “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,” he adds. The visual acuity of the participants at any given measurement ranged from 20/30 to 20/10.
 
 “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,” says Safdar. “In the future, professional guidelines should be considered to ensure optimal visual accuracy.”
 
— Source: American Roentgen Ray Society