Ergophthalmology

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The Ergophthalmologie is an occupational health topic in the field of ophthalmology . It ranges from the prevention of eye damage, including through suitable work design (visual ergonomics), to the development of user-friendly aids and tools (e.g. software) and work psychology (also further into general cognitive psychology). An important field are visually controlled complex work tasks, the demands on optical perception of which are gradually increasing due to the increase in computer-aided work. This contrasts with an individual reduction in visual performance in an aging society.

HJ Merté first coined the term ergophthalmology in 1966 at the 20th International Ophthalmology Congress in Munich as “ the discipline that deals with all relationships between vision and work ”. In detail, he listed the following aspects:

  • Damage to the eyes from working conditions and their prevention,
  • Rehabilitation and reintegration of those affected into working life and society,
  • Assessment and evaluation of reductions in employment,
  • Provision of visual aids for reduced visual performance,
  • Conception of the design of the workplace and visual requirements,
  • Conception and implementation of aptitude tests,
  • Training of professionals and monitoring compliance with the relevant regulations.

This includes large areas of what is now referred to as visual ergonomics. This, a sub-discipline of ergonomics, affects, as Jennifer Long explains (Long J, 2014), not only "classic" work areas with significant visual work tasks, but today the vast majority of work activities, not least because of the widespread penetration of digital technologies in Production and Services. No other human-machine interface has such a density in terms of content and time structures as is contained in visual work.

The technical committee for visual ergonomics of the IEA (International Ergonomic Association) defines visual ergonomics as follows: "Visual ergonomics is the multidisciplinary science concerned with understanding human visual processes and the interactions between humans and other elements of a system. Visual ergonomics applies theories, knowledge and methods to the design and assessment of systems, optimizing human well-being and overall system performance. Relevant topics include, among others: the visual environment, such as lighting; visually demanding work and other tasks; visual function and performance; visual comfort and safety; optical corrections and other assistive tools. " (Long J, 2014)

Both areas of knowledge and action, ergophthalmology and visual ergonomics, are related and interdependent, but making your actions more effective also requires cooperation with others, such as optometry and work psychology (see Mayer H, 2014). They can only achieve their common goal of humanizing and optimizing modern work together. At least to complete the scientific access to the constantly expanding areas of mental work, the development of mental ergonomics is also desirable. Approaches to this are already available in software, system and process ergonomics. It is well known that we do not see with our eyes, but with our brain, the eyes only supply the signals required for this.

In the responsible scientific committee of the International Commission for Occupational Medicine (ICOH), ergophthalmology was defined as “a scientific umbrella under which the analysis, evaluation and design of simple or complex work systems are integrated with regard to the relationship between visual tasks, their embedding in general working conditions and visual and postural comfort as well as job performance. ”(Piccoli B et al., 2003).

Seeing in everyday life is complex, as it marks the central level of human consciousness and equally the most important information channel for humans. It assumes that the eyes, central nervous system, musculoskeletal system and psyche work together safely. Designing visual work from an ergonomic point of view means that the requirement levels that determine vision and their mutual influence on each other in the design of work organization (functions and structures), and in the case of computer work, especially the user interfaces, must be taken into account:

  1. The static visual performance, e.g. B. Visual acuity and binocular functions , such as fusion breadth and spatial vision . (These are to be understood as visual capabilities, as they are possible without time pressure in the required distance and quality)
  2. The dynamic visual performance. (Dynamic visual performance is the adaptation performance to different distances, spatial structures, light and color conditions, e.g. adaptation , local adaptation , accommodation and convergence of the two eyes)
  3. The coordination of the gaze target and follow-up movements as a sensory-motor control of fixation behavior in the various distances and viewing directions.
  4. The reflex control and protection mechanisms (e.g. pupillomotor function , blinking , close-up striae )
  5. Perception and recognition as a neuropsychological process. We “see” with the visual areas of the brain, the eyes only provide the information required for this.

Scientific challenge

The focus here is on a work physiology proven in this area; in addition to the focus areas of eye motor skills and sensory control, it must also include the neuropsychological processes of perception and recognition, especially under stress conditions, etc., integrally.

It would be helpful to develop measuring methods that allow essential parameters of dynamic vision to be used at all functional levels in the sense of preventive medical examinations.

literature

  • Jennifer Long: What is Visual Ergonomics? In: WORK. 47, 2014, pp. 287-289.
  • H. Mayer: Good Expert Knowledge, Small Scope. In: WORK. 47, 2014, pp. 353-364. IOS Press
  • H.-J. Merté: Ergophthalmology. XX. Congress of the German Society for Ophthalmology (DOG) Munich 1966.
  • B. Piccoli (on behalf of the ICOH Scientific Committee 'Work and Vision'): A critical appraisal of current knowledge and future directions of ergophthalmology: consensus document of the ICOH Committee on 'Work and Vision'. In: Ergonomics. 46, 4, 2003, pp. 384-406.
  • Franz Grehn: Ophthalmology. 30th edition. Springer Verlag, Berlin 2008, ISBN 978-3-540-75264-6 , p. 482 ff.