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Head mirror versus headlight: illumination, visual identification and visual acuity for otolaryngological examination

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2013

C-H Lin ,
H-T Hsu ,
P-Y Chen ,
L K Huon ,
Y-Z Lin  and
S-H Hung
C-H Lin
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
H-T Hsu
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
P-Y Chen
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
L K Huon
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Cathay General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
Y-Z Lin
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
S-H Hung*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Shih-Han Hung, Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wusing St, Sinyi District, Taipei City 110, Taiwan Fax: +886 2 27359903 E-mail: seedturtle@gmail.com
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Abstract

Objective:

To investigate and compare the performance of head mirrors and headlights during otolaryngological examination.

Methods:

The illuminance and illumination field of each device were measured and compared. Visual identification and visual acuity were also measured, in 13 medical students and 10 otolaryngology specialists.

Results:

The illuminance (mean ± standard deviation) of the LumiView, Kimscope 1 W and Kimscope 3 W headlights and a standard head mirror were 352.3 ± 9, 92.3 ± 4.5, 438 ± 15.7 and 68.3 ± 1.2 lux, respectively. The illumination field of the head mirror (mean ± standard deviation) was 348 ± 29.8 grids, significantly greater than that of the Kimscope 3 W headlight (183 ± 9.2 grids) (p = 0.0017). The student group showed no statistically significant difference between visual identification with the best headlight and the head mirror (score means ± standard deviations: 56.2 ± 9 and 53.3 ± 14.1, respectively; p = 0.3). The expert group scored significantly higher for visual identification with head mirrors versus headlights (59.7 ± 3.3 vs 55.2 ± 5.8, respectively; p = 0.0035), but showed no difference for visual acuity.

Conclusion:

Despite the advantages of headlight illumination, head mirrors provided better, shadow-free illumination. Despite no differences amongst students, head mirrors performed better than headlights in experienced hands.

Keywords

LightingVisual AcuityDiagnosisOtolaryngologyPhysical ExaminationDiagnostic Techniques And Procedures
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 127 , Issue 8 , August 2013 , pp. 744 - 748
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2013 

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