The importance of visual acuity screening in dental education amongst undergraduate dental students: a straightforward method.

Background: Visual acuity plays a pivotal role in a dental professional's daily performance and screening the students' field of vision in their early formative years ensures successful undergraduate programmes.

Aims: To compare near and distance visual acuity and stereopsis in first-year and final-year dental students and investigate students' perception of their vision.

Method: This was a cross-sectional study involving 100 KCL first- and final-year dental students who underwent assessment of their vision and completed a self-perception questionnaire. Near visual acuity was assessed using a standardised near vision test chart, distance visual acuity using COMPlog (Clinical Vision Measurement Systems Ltd, London, UK) computerised software and stereopsis using the Frisby Stereotest. Based on the Mann-Whitney test, no statistical differences were found between the first-year and final-year students' near and distance visual acuity, nor in stereopsis difference at a significance level of  = 0.05. The null hypothesis was accepted.

Results: 84% of first-year students and 94% of final-year students attained the highest binocular near visual acuity score of 0.50M. Distance visual acuity scores showed a median ETDRS (Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study) Letters score 94 in the first-year group and 95 in the final-year group. 8% of students were found to have correctable refractive errors in distance visual acuity. The majority of students across both year groups were able to discern 20 s arc of the smallest disparity. The final-year students reported worrying about their eyesight significantly more than the first-year students.

Conclusions: No statistically significant differences were found in near and distance visual acuity, and stereopsis, between first-year and final-year dental students. However, 8% of students were identified with undiagnosed, correctable refractive errors. The importance of students' vision in clinical dentistry is highlighted, and regular eye examination is recommended.