Ultraviolet protection in eye and face protection against biological hazards.

Background: In the development of eye and face protection standards against biological hazards, it is important to consider that the eye and face protectors may be used in the outdoor environment, where ultraviolet (UV) exposure from the sun is much higher than indoors. Workers affected include paramedics, ambulance officers and clinical testing personnel.

Methods: Spectral transmittances (280-780 nm) were measured on eight face shields and one goggle of the types used in hospital and clinical environments, three overhead projector sheets and an occupational impact protective goggle.

Visual function and retinal thickness in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Clinical Relevance: The possibility that changes in blue-yellow visual thresholds and some retinal thickness measures in children with diabetes mellitus may be observed before any visible fundus changes points to the possibility of these measures being a useful predictor that the risks of diabetic retinopathy are higher in some children than in others.

Introduction: Previous studies showed mixed results on chromatic and achromatic contrast sensitivity early in the course of diabetes mellitus, and the findings of these studies may have been influenced by a lack of experimental sensitivity to visual deficits, a bias towards tritan-like errors or the cognitive demands of the tests and variations in sample composition. The purpose of this study was to evaluate colour and contrast thresholds and retinal thickness in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus compared with age-matched controls.

Recommendations and requirements for the wavelengths in Rayleigh equation anomaloscopes.

DIN 6160:2019 is a technical standard that sets requirements for Rayleigh equation anomaloscopes. Table 1 of the standard contains the limits for centroid wavelengths and spectral half power bandwidths (SHBW). The centroid limits are more restrictive than dominant wavelength recommendations.

A model for assessing the efficacy of colour vision aids.

Optical filter aids are marketed which claim to improve colour discrimination in red-green colour vision defectives. An earlier model has been revised and used to assess 9 currently available aids. Spectral reflectances (400-700 nm) for 80 colours equally spaced in hue angle at four equally spaced saturations were synthesised from chromatically adjacent Munsell colours.

Luminance contrast preferences of people with a vision impairment for elements in the built environment.

Background: Standards for building elements recommend a minimum luminance contrast of 30%. The basis of this value and the metric originally used is not known.

Objective: To begin to provide an evidence base for the specification of minimum contrast in building elements.

Issues in specifying contrast in building elements for people with a visual disability.

Background: Standards writers, national and international, have used different contrast calculations to set requirements in building elements for people with visual impairments. On the other hand, they have typically set a single requirement (30%) for specifying the minimum contrast. The systems are not linearly related and 30% means something rather different in each system.

How practitioners say they answer the questions of patients about ultraviolet protection.

Patients should be able to rely on optometrists and optical dispensers to provide evidence-based answers to their questions on eye protection, including against ultraviolet radiation. Surveys indicate that there is public concern about the need for protection against ultraviolet radiation, particularly in sunlight. This investigation aimed to evaluate the quality of information provided by practitioners in response to typical questions to which they might reasonably be expected to have ready answers.

Optical performance of welding curtains and existing standards.

Welding curtains and screens are intended to protect workers, other than the welder, from the effects of optical radiation generated by the welding process. The national and international standards for welding screens and curtains have different requirements. The aim is to compare the protection requirements of examples of welding curtain material and to assess compliance with the international and national standards.

Ultraviolet radiation transmission of soft disposable contact lenses and ISO 18369: claims and compliance.

Clinical Relevance: This study was carried out to provide advice to eye care practitioners on those soft disposable contact lenses that comply with the Class 1 or Class 2 requirements of the international standard ISO 18369 for ultraviolet radiation protection.

Background: This study was carried out to provide advice to eye care practitioners on those soft disposable contact lenses that comply with the Class 1 or Class 2 requirements of the international standard ISO 18369 for ultraviolet radiation (UVR) protection and to validate any claims made. It is intended to be used when a patient needs or requests UVR protection.

Effect of blue-blocking lenses on colour discrimination.

Clinical Relevance: Tinted lenses may adversely affect colour discrimination. Before recommending tinted lenses to patients, practitioners should bear in mind any effects on colour discrimination. The effects of 'blue-blocking' spectacle lenses with high luminous transmittance on colour vision is not a concern.

The blue light dose from white light emitting diodes (LEDs) and other white light sources.

Purpose: This study was carried out to determine if light emitting diodes (LEDs) represented a special case in exposing the retina to blue light, when compared with other methods of backlighting television and computer screens and with fluorescent tube lighting.

Method: The spectral distribution of light from computer and television screens (cathode ray tube, plasma screen, organic LEDs, and screens backlit by cold cathode tubes and/or LEDs), domestic type spotlights (LED and fluorescent tube) and objects in the outdoor sunlit environment were measured with a telespectroradiometer. The spectral data were analysed for the proportion of blue light and luminance.

Lighting for color vision examination in the era of LEDs: the FM100Hue Test.

Lighting conditions nominated for color vision testing are many and varied. The recommendation of CIE color rendering index (CIE CRI) ≥90 and correlated color temperature of close to 6500 K is widely made for color vision testing generally. With the demise of incandescent and fluorescent lighting and their replacement by light-emitting diodes (LEDs), this is an opportune time to revisit the recommendation.

Limitations and Precautions in the Use of the Farnsworth-Munsell Dichotomous D-15 Test.

Significance: Clinicians who administer the Farnsworth-Munsell D-15 test need to pay attention to the quality and quantity of lighting and the time that they allow for completion of the test, and all repeat attempts need to be included in reports on compliance with color vision standards.

Purpose: The validity of the Farnsworth-Munsell D-15 has been questioned because practice may allow significantly color vision-deficient subjects to pass. In this article, we review the influence of practice and other factors that may affect the performance.

Out with the old, in with the new: how changes in cricket helmet regulations affect the vision of batters.

The International Cricket Council recently introduced new regulations for helmets in cricket. Amongst other changes, these regulations limit batters from adjusting the gap between the peak and the grille, resulting in some controversy over whether the new helmet design reduces visibility of the ball. This study compared the visual field of individuals when wearing an old helmet that does not conform to the new regulations, and the equivalent replacement which does.

Development of color vision discrimination during childhood: differences between Blue-Yellow, Red-Green, and achromatic thresholds.

Nonvisual demands of tests affect vision test results in children. 150 children (79 females and 71 males, 5.3-12.

When is protection from impact needed for the face as well as the eyes in occupational environments?

Background: The most commonly identified reason for requiring or using occupational eye and face protection is for protection against flying objects. Standards vary on what risk may require protection of the eyes alone and what requires protection for the whole face. Information on the minimum energy transfer for face damage to occur is not well-established.

Protocol for Usability Testing and Validation of the ISO Draft International Standard 19223 for Lung Ventilators.

Background: Clinicians, such as respiratory therapists and physicians, are often required to set up pieces of medical equipment that use inconsistent terminology. Current lung ventilator terminology that is used by different manufacturers contributes to the risk of usage errors, and in turn the risk of ventilator-associated lung injuries and other conditions. Human factors and communication issues are often associated with ventilator-related sentinel events, and inconsistent ventilator terminology compounds these issues.

Impact of Gamification of Vision Tests on the User Experience.

Objective: Gamification has been incorporated into vision tests and vision therapies in the expectation that it may increase the user experience and engagement with the task. The current study aimed to understand how gamification affects the user experience, specifically during the undertaking of psychophysical tasks designed to estimate vision thresholds (chromatic and achromatic contrast sensitivity).

Methods: Three tablet computer-based games were developed with three levels of gaming elements.

The health regionalization process from the perspective of the transation cost theory.

This study analyzes the incidence of transaction costs in the regionalization process of health policies in the Brazilian federal system. In this work, regionalized health actions contracted and agreed between federal agencies have assumed a transactional nature. A conceptual theoretical essay of reflective nature was prepared with the purpose of questioning and proposing new approaches to improve the health regionalization process.

Normative values for a tablet computer-based application to assess chromatic contrast sensitivity.

Tablet computer displays are amenable for the development of vision tests in a portable form. Assessing color vision using an easily accessible and portable test may help in the self-monitoring of vision-related changes in ocular/systemic conditions and assist in the early detection of disease processes. Tablet computer-based games were developed with different levels of gamification as a more portable option to assess chromatic contrast sensitivity.

Colorimetric evaluation of iPhone apps for colour vision tests based on the Ishihara test.

Given the versatility of smart phone displays, it was inevitable that applications (apps) providing colour vision testing would appear as an option. In this study, the colorimetric characteristics of five available iPhone apps for colour vision testing are assessed as a prequel to possible clinical evaluation. The colours of the displays produced by the apps are assessed with reference to the colours of a printed Ishihara test.