Ergonomic benefit using heads-up display compared to conventional surgical microscope in Japanese ophthalmologists

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297461
• Publication Date: 2024-05-22T17:36:59Z
• Authors: Motohiro Kamei; Hisaharu Suzuki; Hideyuki Terayama; Rana Ghafouri; Margaret H. Ainsl...; Nicole C. Ferko; Hang Cheng; Derek O’Boyle; Makoto Nakamura
• Keywords: Male; Adult; Microscopy; Ophthalmologists; Science; Q; Posture; R; East Asian People; Middle Aged; Occupational Diseases; Cross-Sectional Studies; Japan; Surveys and Questionnaires; Medicine; Humans; Female; Ergonomics; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Asthenopia; Research Article

Purpose Occupational musculoskeletal disorders are prevalent in ophthalmic surgeons and can impact surgeons’ well-being and productivity. Heads-up displays may reduce ergonomic stress compared to conventional microscopes. This cross-sectional, non-interventional study compared ergonomic experience between heads-up display and conventional ocular microscopes.

Methods The study protocol was approved by the independent ethics committee and nonprofit organization MINS Institutional Review Board. An online questionnaire was distributed to a sample of ophthalmic surgeons in Japan with experience operating with heads-up display. The questionnaire captured surgeon-specific variables, the standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, and custom questions to compare heads-up display and conventional microscope and understand long-term impacts of musculoskeletal disorders.

Results Analysis was conducted on responses from 67 surgeons with a mean 25 years of practice and 2.7 years using heads-up display. Many surgeons agreed or strongly agreed that heads-up display reduced the severity (40%) and frequency (40%) of pain and discomfort, improved posture (61%), and improved overall comfort (61%). Of respondents who experienced asthenopia (n = 59) or pain/discomfort during operation (n = 61), 54% reported improvement in asthenopia and 72% reported feeling less pain/discomfort since using heads-up display. Overall, 69% reported preference for heads-up display.

Conclusion This study provides novel data on musculoskeletal disorders and the long-term impacts of ergonomic strain reported by ophthalmologists building on existing literature demonstrating ergonomic and other advantages of heads-up display. Future studies with objective ergonomic assessment are warranted to validate these findings.