Impact of age and gender on visual health in civil aviation: a study on the spectacles requirements of pilots and students.

IF 1.5 4区 医学 Q3 OPHTHALMOLOGY
Ceren Turkoglu
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Clinical relevance: Refractive errors, including myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism, are common causes of vision impairment worldwide. In aviation, visual acuity is important for flight safety, as any visual impairment can affect the ability of pilot to perform essential tasks.

Background: The aim of this work is to investigate the prevalence of refractive errors and the usage of corrective tools among civil aviation pilots and students.

Methods: A total of 2069 participants (596 aviation students and 1473 pilots) aged 18-65 were examined during their periodic medical assessments between February 2023 and February 2025. Visual acuity was assessed using Snellen charts, and keratometric measurements were obtained using an auto-refractometer. Corrective tool usage, including spectacles and contact lenses, was recorded.

Results: The study found that 37.3% of participants were myopic, 50.3% were emmetropic, and 12.4% were hypermetropic. Myopia was more common in students (46.5%) compared to pilots (33.6%). In total, 43% of participants required corrective tools for distance vision, with a higher proportion of students (48.2%) using corrective tools compared to pilots (40.9%). Among those requiring corrective tools, 91.2% preferred spectacles, while 8.8% preferred contact lenses. A significant gender difference was noted in corrective tool preferences, with men more likely to use spectacles. Additionally, 41.9% of pilots aged 40-65 required near-vision correction due to presbyopia.

Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of visual health management in aviation. The higher prevalence of myopia in aviation students and the increased need for near-vision correction in older pilots underscore the necessity for proactive visual health monitoring. Early screening and appropriate corrective measures, particularly for students, are essential for ensuring flight safety. The findings also suggest the need for tailored vision care strategies in the aviation sector to address age- and gender-specific differences in visual health.

年龄和性别对民航视力健康的影响:对飞行员和学生眼镜要求的研究。
临床相关性:屈光不正,包括近视、远视和散光,是世界范围内视力损害的常见原因。在航空领域,视力对飞行安全至关重要,因为任何视力障碍都会影响飞行员执行基本任务的能力。背景:本研究的目的是调查民航飞行员和学生屈光不正的患病率和矫正工具的使用情况。方法:在2023年2月至2025年2月期间,对年龄在18-65岁之间的2069名参与者(596名航空学生和1473名飞行员)进行定期体检。使用Snellen视力表评估视力,使用自动屈光仪进行角膜测量。记录矫正工具的使用情况,包括眼镜和隐形眼镜。结果:37.3%的受试者为近视,50.3%为远视,12.4%为远视。近视在学生(46.5%)中比飞行员(33.6%)更常见。总体而言,43%的参与者需要使用矫正工具来实现远距离视力,使用矫正工具的学生比例(48.2%)高于飞行员(40.9%)。在需要矫正工具的人群中,91.2%的人选择眼镜,8.8%的人选择隐形眼镜。在矫正工具的偏好上存在显著的性别差异,男性更倾向于使用眼镜。此外,41.9%的40-65岁飞行员因老花眼需要近视力矫正。结论:本研究强调了航空人员视觉健康管理的重要性。航空专业学生的近视患病率较高,老年飞行员对近视矫正的需求也在增加,这凸显了主动进行视力健康监测的必要性。早期筛查和适当的纠正措施,特别是对学生,对于确保飞行安全至关重要。研究结果还表明,航空部门需要制定量身定制的视力保健战略,以解决视力健康方面的年龄和性别差异。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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来源期刊
CiteScore
4.10
自引率
5.30%
发文量
132
审稿时长
6-12 weeks
期刊介绍: Clinical and Experimental Optometry is a peer reviewed journal listed by ISI and abstracted by PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Citation Index and Current Contents. It publishes original research papers and reviews in clinical optometry and vision science. Debate and discussion of controversial scientific and clinical issues is encouraged and letters to the Editor and short communications expressing points of view on matters within the Journal''s areas of interest are welcome. The Journal is published six times annually.
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