Work/vision relationship in a preventive medicine context: Initial guidelines for a correct ergophthalmologic approach proposed by the Italian Group for the Study of Work/Vision Relationships. Part 2: Methods

In view of the numerous problems concerning the relationship between work and vision, the Italian Group for the Study of Work/Vision Relationships has developed a document that sets out initial guidelines for environmental monitoring and health surveillance in ergophthalmology. Particular emphasis is given to fact-finding inspections and collection of subjective assessments that will enable the occupational health physician to identify any adverse factors in the working environment and assess the visual effort of the operators. The importance of cooperation between occupational health physician and ophthalmologists in the various phases of ergophthalmological assessment is stressed. An analytical list is provided of the parameters that the ophthalmologist should measure during eye examination as well as the appropriate assessments that the occupational health physician should perform if an ophthalmological specialist is not available. Suggestions for periodic controls on the basis of visual effort and ophthalmological status are made. It is the task of the occupational health physician to establish the fitness or otherwise of the patients for the job, and for this the Group is preparing further documents.