Society of Environmental and Occupational Health
Society of Environment and Occupational Health
Society of Environment and Occupational Health
Occupational Eye Diseases and Injuries
Dr.Pasumala Lakshminarayana,MD(Eye),
Specialist &I/C,
Department of Ophthalmology,
ESIC Model Hospital,Noida.
Each day a worker presents himself to the job he is exposing himself to innumerable risks that can result in eye injuries. Several workers among them will end up with a job-related eye injury at some point in their employment history.
The majority of these injuries result from small particles or objects striking or abrading the eye. Examples include metal slivers, wood chips, dust, and cement chips that are ejected by tools, wind-blown, or fall from above a worker.
Some of these objects, such as nails, staples, or slivers of wood or metal penetrate the eyeball and result in a permanent loss of vision. Large objects may also strike the eye/face, or a worker may run into an object causing blunt force trauma to the eyeball or eye socket.
Chemical burns to one or both eyes from splashes of industrial chemicals or cleaning products are common. Thermal burns to the eye occur as well. Among welders, their assistants, and nearby workers, UV radiation burns (welder’s flash) routinely damage workers’ eyes and surrounding tissue.
Occupational Eye Diseases:-Occur due to repeated exposure to harmful substances at the work place that can cause damage to eyes in the long run.
Occupational Eye Injuries:-These injuries can occur outside the work place too but occur at the work place more often due to working in closed environment of factories and more involvement with objects that can damage eyes.
Occupational Eye diseases can classified as follows:-
1.Acute Conjuctivitis
2.Chronic Conjuctivitis:-Dusty workshops with poor ventilation and also wood dust in wood cutters,mica dust from mica factory can cause chronic conjuctivitis.
3.Acute Keratitis
4.Chronic Keratitis-Superficial Punctate Keratitis occur in Artificial Silk Factories:-It can cause blurring of vision,pain,grittiness,lacrimation,headache- It is due to (H2S)Hydrogen Sulphide present in the air in the acid house in the factory which is responsible for chronic keratitis.
10 parts in a million of H2s in air is adequate for this. It can occur in sugar industry also.
Furniture trade workers,metal industries and workers in straw hat industries too suffer from keratitis.It may be due to benzene and similar solvents of varnish and shellac. It occurs especially in winters when ventilation is poor.
5.Chronic blepharitis and Conjuctivitis:- occurs in bakers
6.Keratitis-allergic– occurs in agriculture workers due to various weeds and also due to peat dust.
7.Symptomless chronic occupational keratitis:-Occurs in lathe workers,stone cutters,grinders and sand blasters.
8.Bilateral minute corneal scars with glistening foreign bodies in them which stain with fluorescin are seen on the corneas.Corneal sensation is also decreased.It can can be diagnosed with slit lamp.
9.Lens Opacities:-Glass industry-20% have lens opacities-due to infrared rays.Furnace workers also develop it.It takes 10-20 years for these to develop.Protective goggles help prevent it.
10.Retinitis,Toxic ambylopias,Optic Neuritis,Retrobulbar Neuritis,Ocular Nerve Palsies:-Benzene,carbon bisulphides,methyl alcohol,arsenic and its derivatives carbon tetrachloride and trichloro ethylene can cause these diseases.
11.Optic Neuritis and Ocular Palsies-Methyl Alcohol:-used as solvent in shellacs and varnishes,preparation of perfumes and paint removers as a solvent for aniline dyes and toilet materials can cause above diseases.It occurs mostly in closed factories.
Chronic and acute poisoning leading to occupational eye diseases:-
Carbon bisulphide can cause-ambylopia and optic neuritis-also causes loss of apetite,mental disturbances and mental confusion.It occurs mainly in rubber industry ,artificial silk industry,refrigeration plants.
Lead poisoning:-Optic neuritis and ocular palsies:=compositors,plumbers,makers of lead pipe and paint grinders.
Arsenic:-Optic Neuritis and eczema of the eye lids;-used in manufacture of artificial flowers,insecticids,dyeing industry,pickling.
Carbon Tetrachloride:-Ambylopia-loss of peripheral vision.industrial solvent in dry cleaning etc.,
Trichloro Ethylene:-optic neuritis and retinitis-degreasing agent in drycleaning.
Benzol :-Optic neuritis:-benzol and its derivative dinitrobenzol-Used in manufacture of aniline dyes,in dry cleaning,manufacture of varnishes and vulcunising rubber.
Welders-Arc Eye:-Electric arc from electric welders cause this-also in persons assisting welders-not wearing protective goggles and face helmet.Burning and painful eyes-occur within 6 hours of using welding arcs.Photophobia and lacrimation.acute conjunctivitis and chronic keratitis,chronic superficial keratitis and blurring of vision,grittiness,and photophobia occur.
Technological Advances especially in the form of Computers have brought a new eye problem hitherto unknown to human kind known as Computer Vision Syndrome.
Computer Vision syndrome(CVS):-
Computer vision syndrome (CVS) is a temporary condition resulting from focusing the eyes on a computer display for protracted, uninterrupted periods of time.
Some symptoms of CVS include headaches, blurred vision, neck pain, redness in the eyes, fatigue, eye strain, dry eyes, irritated eyes, double vision, vertigo/dizziness, polyopia, and difficulty refocusing the eyes.
These symptoms can be further aggravated by improper lighting conditions (i.e. glare [1] or bright overhead lighting) or air moving past the eyes (e.g. overhead vents, direct air from a fan).
According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, computer vision syndrome affects about 90% of the people who spend three hours or more a day at a computer.
Although emerging technologies improve efficiency in everyday life, prolonged use of electronic devices may lead to symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) such as eye strain, dry eyes, headaches, fatigue, blurred vision, and loss of focus. CVS can be a serious problem for people who spend many hours each day in front of a computer or on smaller screens like laptops or handheld electronic devices. Nearly 46 per cent of the population spend five or more hours per day using a computer or PDA (personal digital assistant) .Office workers suffer from computer-related eye fatigue, a rate which appears to be increasing. Excessive computer use can cause eye strain and reduce productivity.
Steps to be taken to prevent CVS:-
Keep blinking. It washes your eyes in naturally therapeutic tears.
Remember 20-20-20. Every 20 minutes, spend 20 seconds looking at something 20 feet away, minimum.
Get the right light. Good lighting isn’t just flattering – it’s healthy for your eyes. So, keep bright lighting overhead to a minimum. Keep your desk lamp shining on your desk, not you.
Try to keep window light off to the side, rather than in front or behind you. Use blinds and get a glare screen.
Position the computer screen to reduce reflections from windows or overhead lights.
Monitor your monitor. Keep it at least 20 inches from your eyes. Center should be about 4 to 6 inches below your eyes. Also, make sure it’s big enough and with just the right brightness and contrast. Adjust the screen so you look at it slightly downward and are about 24 to 28 inches away. Adjust the screen settings to where they are comfortable — contract polarity, resolution, flicker, etc.
Wear those computer specs. Your doctor can prescribe a pair of glasses just for seeing the computer screen well. If necessary, wear the appropriate corrective lenses while at the computer.
Talk to your doc. Have a thorough annual vision check by an Ophthalmologist.
Safety measures to be undertaken at factories to protect workers from employement realted eye injuries:-
Engineering controls should be used to reduce eye injuries and to protect against ocular infection exposures.
Personal protective eyewear, such as goggles, face shields, safety glasses, or full face respirators must also be used when an eye hazard exists.
The eye protection chosen for specific work situations depends upon the nature and extent of the hazard, the circumstances of exposure, other protective equipment used, and personal vision needs.
Eye protection should be fit to an individual or adjustable to provide appropriate coverage. It should be comfortable and allow for sufficient peripheral vision.
Selection of protective eyewear appropriate for a given task should be made based on a hazard assessment of each activity, including regulatory requirements when applicable.
Work related Eye Injuries:
There are a range of agents found in workplaces that can cause eye diseases, disorders or injuries. While many of these agents are often also found in everyday living environments, exposure at dangerous levels is most likely to occur in the workplace.
For this reason, these conditions are commonly referred to as work related eye injuries or diseases.
Male workers in the age range 25-44 years have the highest risk of work related eye injuries.
Common causes for eye injuries are:
- Flying objects (bits of metal, glass);
- Tools;
- Particles;
- Chemicals;
- Any combination of these or other hazards.
Eye injuries can be broadly classified as :-
1.Blunt injury
2.Penetrating Injury
3.Chemical Burn injuries to eye
Blunt injury can cause less damage than penetrating injury in general.
Blunt injury to eye results in black eye,blood in anterior chamber of eye,iris damage,cataract,retinal edema,retinal tear and choroidal tear.
Penetrating injuries result from flying objects(metallic and non metallic) hitting the eye ball with force resulting in severe injury to parts of the eye.It can cause corneal and scleral tear,lens damage,retinal detachment,vitreous hemorrhage and ultimately blindness if the injury is very severe.
Chemical injuries are the severest of all as they can melt the eye and cornea and can result in immediate irreversible blindness with complete loss in shape of eye ball, condition known as phthisis.
- When an eye injury does occur, have an ophthalmologistor other medical doctor examine the eye as soon as possible, even if the injury seems minor at first.
A serious eye injury is not always immediately obvious. Delaying medical attention can cause the damaged areas to worsen and could result in permanent vision loss or blindness.
What to do for an eye injury:-
For all eye injuries:
- DO NOT touch, rub or apply pressure to the eye.
- DO NOT try to remove the object stuck in the eye.
- Do not apply ointment or medication to the eye.
- See a doctor as soon as possible, preferably an ophthalmologist.
If your eye has been cut or punctured:
- Gently place a shield over the eye. The bottom of a paper cup taped to the bones surrounding the eye can serve as a shield until you get medical attention.
- DO NOT rinse with water.
- DO NOT remove the object stuck in eye.
- DO NOT rub or apply pressure to eye.
- Avoid giving aspirin, ibuprofen or other non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs thin the blood and may increase bleeding.
- After you have finished protecting the eye, see a physician immediately.
If you get a particle or foreign material in your eye:
- DO NOT rub the eye.
- Lift the upper eyelid over the lashes of your lower lid.
- Blink several times and allow tears to flush out the particle.
- If the particle remains, keep your eye closed and seek medical attention.
In case of a chemical burn to the eye:
- Immediately flush the eye with plenty of clean water
- Seek emergency medical treatment right away.
To treat a blow to the eye:
- Gently apply a small cold compress to reduce pain and swelling.
- DO NOT apply any pressure.
- If a black eye, pain or visual disturbance occurs even after a light blow, immediately contact your Eye M.D. or emergency room.
- Remember that even a light blow can cause a significant eye injury.
To treat sand or small debris in the eye:
- Use eyewash to flush the eye out.
- DO NOT rub the eye.
- If the debris doesn’t come out, lightly bandage the eye and see an Eye M.D. or visit the nearest emergency room.