[Evaluation of depth perception and heterophoria among laboratory sciences students in Mashhad, 2011]

Normal stereopsis as the highest level of binocular vision is required for most of clinical works such as working with microscope and some jobs, like piloting and surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate, depth perception and hetrophoria in Mashhad laboratory sciences students in 2011. In this cross sectional study from 153 Mashhad laboratory sciences students, 42 subjects were selected randomly. Eye examinations including subjective and objective refraction and measurement of hetrophoria by cover test and prism bar were performed. The stereopsis was then determined with the T.N.O stereo test at 40 distance observation. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 11.5 software. Patients with amblyopia, cataract, and other ocular pathology were excluded from the study. Mean stereoacuity of the subjects was 147/14 +/- 129/76. Among this population, 14 subjects [%33.3] used microscope monocularly and 28 subjects [% 66.7] used it bionocularly. There was no significant difference between mean stereopsis and hetrophoria and other relative effective factors such as refractive error, way of using microscope, near point of convergence age and sex [p>0.05]. Comparison between mean monocular and binocular stereopsis was not significant [p>0.05]. There was no statictically significant difference between mean stereopsis and hetrophoria and other relative factors. However due to working too much with microscope, most of the laboratory sciences students had anomaly of binocular vision like intermittent exotropia and abnormal near point of convergence. This indicates the necessity of more research in anomaly of binocular vision in laboratory sciences students

[ study of the severity of keratoconus in optometric clinic's patients of Mashhad University of medical sciences]

Keratoconus is characterized by thinning and steepening of the central cornea. This study was undertaken to determine the severity of this disease and its relation with age and gender. In a cross sectional study, the data are reviewed from 1485 keratoconic eyes examined at the optometric's clinic of Mashhad University of Medical sciences from 1991 to 2005. The criteria for diagnosis of keratoconus were: Irregular corneal astigmatism, scissors retinoscopy reflex, Vogt's striae, Fleischer's ring or central corneal power higher than 47.2 D. The disease severity based on the central keratometry reading classified into mild, moderate, advanced and severe. SPSS software was used for data analyzes. The patient's mean age in this study was 25.33 +/- 8.39 years. From 1485 eyes, 73.1, 20.7, 5.9 and 0.3 percent had mild, moderate, advanced and severe keratoconus respectively. The highest prevalence of this disease was in 20-29 years [49.02 percent] and the lowest was related to over 40 years of age [6.4 percent]. The prevalence of keratoconus in females was higher than males [P< 0.001]. The majority of patients in this study had mild keratoconus and were in 20-29 years and it's prevalence in females were higher than males

study of the changes in refractive errors of the Participant's students in entrance exam of universities in Mashhad

Some studies reported the relationship between near- work activity and progression of myopia. The objective of this study is to investigate a longitudinal changes in refractive errors of the participant's student in entrance exam of the universities [EEU] in educational zones of Mashhad. In this study, 49 students in the final year of high school were randomly chosen and followed longitudinally study using standard objective and subjective refraction methods. Their refractive errors were determined in two succeeding visits; first: before the EEU [October] and second: after EEU [August of the following year]. The data were then statistically analyzed by SPSS. From 49 students [20 boys and 29 girls] the results of this study indicate that after EEU, the amount of myopia [spherical equivalent] increases from-0.088 to-0.357 dioptres [P=0.001] in boys and from -0.085 to-0.365 dioptres in girls [P=0,008]. Amount and type of astigmatism did not change significantly in boys and girls after EEU. These results support the idea that longtime reading and intensive near vision working in short distance relates with increasng the amount of myopia, but it does not correlate with the amount and type of astigmatism

[ effects of dental graduate students' communication skills on patients' satisfaction in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in 1383]

Introduction: effective communication between physician and patient has a positive effect on different aspects of medicine and increases patient's satisfaction. Nowadays, communicative skills training to medical professionals in order to foster knowledge, attitude and communicative skills is emphasized. Now, over focusing on technical cares and its expansion leads to use of ineffective communication methods traditionally, therefore key problems and main patient's issues remain unclear. This study was done in order to assess and analyze dental graduate students' communicative skills and the related effect on patients' satisfaction

Materials and Methods: 30 first year graduate students of dentistry and 30 patients of them were selected randomly. Film taking, interaction analysis system [IAS] and observation checklist were used for gathering data. A questionnaire was used for patient's satisfaction. Content validity was used for validity and Alfa test for reliability. Data were analyzed by descriptive, analytical statistics using SPSS software

Results: according to results, 43% of students in all of the communication skills fields, 63% in the socio-emotional skills, 20% in diagnostic field and 27% in the consultation and education field were in a desired level. In all of the assessment fields, by increasing communication skills, the patients' satisfaction increased. ANOVA test showed significant difference between mean of patients' satisfaction by communication skills leveling the all of fields. ANOVA in all the fields and in every 3 fields showed significant difference between mean of patients' satisfaction score [P<0.05]. Correlation test also showed linear correlation between communication skills and satisfaction. Correlation coefficient for communication skills in all of the fields and socio-emotional field was 0.01 and in the other two fields of diagnosis and consultation was 0.05 and significant. The linear equation supported this correlation too

Conclusion: communication skills are integral parts of physicians' clinical skills. We can increase the patients' satisfaction by proper use of verbal and nonverbal communication skills such as respect to patients, sympathy, using open-ended questions, active listening and using understandable vocabulary. These skills can also increase effectiveness of medical interview and treatment too. It is obvious that medical education administrators and instructors should plan training courses for fostering communication skills for medical students and staff