Don’t let vision compromise your posture

June 2010 • RDH Magazine
by Juli Kagan, RDH, MEd, and Lynn Pencek, RDH, MS

When you were younger did you tend to bring items close to your eyes to see fine details? Think of a time when you needed to thread a needle or find a part for your model airplane. One reason you strained is that in youth your vision was better in close range than long range. It’s true; you can read a millimeter probe just fine from 18 inches, but it’s easier to read at 10 or 12 inches.

Then at midlife, most adults experience loss of visual acuity when viewing close objects. This is a normal change of the eye lens due to aging. Reading glasses can correct this. It’s not uncommon for an eye doctor to prescribe reading glasses to provide mild magnification for dental practitioners; unfortunately, if the reading prescription is over corrected, the working distance is further shortened. This is not a wise choice for a dental practitioner. This method of linear magnification encourages the practitioner to lean closer, which further compromises posture and balance.

In practice, most hygienists will lean to get their eyes closer to the patient to see more clearly. When we lean closer to the patient we often bend our backs in an unhealthy posture.

Loupes provide angular magnification. Stated another way — true image enlargement is created with a dedicated working distance. Loupes can be customized to best suit an individual’s preferences. Loupes with depth are forgiving, and not all loupes have significant depth. When choosing a pair, make sure they have depth to accommodate patients who do not fully recline, or the lack of depth will dictate your posture.

One smart way to determine your working distance is to ignore what your visual preference dictates in body posture. To figure this out, try sitting with a patient and close your eyes, take a deep breath, relax, and see where your body is most comfortable when working. Then open your eyes and work from this frame of reference. It’s important that you do not force yourself to work within confines that are not inherently comfortable for your body and eyesight.

Most hygienists have a natural desire to provide the best care possible, yet we tend to compromise ourselves to treat our patients.

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