Who needs their eyes examined?

With pathology potentially present in every exam, you'd assume that radiologists would make sure that their vision was always 20/20. But a survey at the University of Maryland has determined that many of its staff radiologists haven't had their eyes examined in years.

The researchers found that half of 48 radiologists questioned in a survey could not remember the last time they had a vision test or if their last test was more than two years ago. One last had a vision test 15 years ago, and eight could not recall ever having their eyes examined (AJR 2009;192:W335-W340).

Dr. Nabile Safdar, an assistant professor of radiology at the University of Maryland, said the variation they found in visual acuity among radiologists is unlikely to affect clinical diagnostic performance, but it's still a good idea to ensure that vision is as good as possible.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that people with no evidence of poor eyesight should receive a baseline exam at the age of 40 and regular follow-up exams thereafter.