A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON MARBLE WORKERS: OCCUPATIONAL EYE HEALTH PROBLEMS AND RISK FACTORS

Objective: Occupational health and safety is one of the most important aspects of the workplace. Working in a healthy and safe environment is one of our constitutional rights. In terms of occupational health, which is of the utmost importance, assessing the occupational eye health of marble quarry w...

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Main Authors: İbrahim Ethem Ay, Seher Palanbek Yavaş, Caner Baysan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Istanbul University Press 2022-10-01
Series:İstanbul Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi
Subjects:
Online Access:https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/3112403C634A465C8BC54DBDD26624BE
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author İbrahim Ethem Ay
Seher Palanbek Yavaş
Caner Baysan
author_facet İbrahim Ethem Ay
Seher Palanbek Yavaş
Caner Baysan
author_sort İbrahim Ethem Ay
collection DOAJ
description Objective: Occupational health and safety is one of the most important aspects of the workplace. Working in a healthy and safe environment is one of our constitutional rights. In terms of occupational health, which is of the utmost importance, assessing the occupational eye health of marble quarry workers is also critical. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of corneal nebula, refraction error, pterygium, and similar ocular surface diseases and the factors affecting these diseases in marble quarry workers. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study in a marble quarry was performed. All the marble quarry workers who wished to participate in this cross-sectional study were included. Examinations of 126 workers were done in a large, appropriately lit room using a portable Snellen chart and a portable biomicroscope, and Volk 90D for fundus examination. Results: Of the total 126 workers, 83 (65.9%) were working in an environment of high-risk in respect to ocular health, and eye disease was determined in 32 (25.4%). Refraction error was determined in 19 (15.1%), pterygium in 11 (8.7%), amblyopia in 2 (1.6%), and corneal nebula in 1 (1.1%). Conclusions: Pterygium and refraction error were determined at a significantly high rate in marble quarry workers. It is important for workplace doctors to be trained in the early diagnosis of pathologies affecting the ocular surface, such as pterygium, for these workers to be referred early to an ophthalmology specialist. With the measurement and recording of the visual acuity of workers at certain intervals, workplace accidents can be reduced by taking precautions such as the referral to ophthalmology specialists of those determined to have a decrease in visual acuity.
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spelling doaj-art-319bc0cdbdd84ae2bd70e4fc0674b7f22025-08-20T02:57:27ZengIstanbul University Pressİstanbul Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi1305-64412022-10-0185454855610.26650/IUITFD.1134346123456A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON MARBLE WORKERS: OCCUPATIONAL EYE HEALTH PROBLEMS AND RISK FACTORSİbrahim Ethem Ay0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3468-7096Seher Palanbek Yavaş1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8113-0477Caner Baysan2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7675-1391Afyonkarahisar Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi, Afyon, Turkiyeİstanbul Üniversitesi, İstanbul, Türkiyeİzmir Demokrasi Üniversitesi, Izmir, TurkiyeObjective: Occupational health and safety is one of the most important aspects of the workplace. Working in a healthy and safe environment is one of our constitutional rights. In terms of occupational health, which is of the utmost importance, assessing the occupational eye health of marble quarry workers is also critical. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of corneal nebula, refraction error, pterygium, and similar ocular surface diseases and the factors affecting these diseases in marble quarry workers. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study in a marble quarry was performed. All the marble quarry workers who wished to participate in this cross-sectional study were included. Examinations of 126 workers were done in a large, appropriately lit room using a portable Snellen chart and a portable biomicroscope, and Volk 90D for fundus examination. Results: Of the total 126 workers, 83 (65.9%) were working in an environment of high-risk in respect to ocular health, and eye disease was determined in 32 (25.4%). Refraction error was determined in 19 (15.1%), pterygium in 11 (8.7%), amblyopia in 2 (1.6%), and corneal nebula in 1 (1.1%). Conclusions: Pterygium and refraction error were determined at a significantly high rate in marble quarry workers. It is important for workplace doctors to be trained in the early diagnosis of pathologies affecting the ocular surface, such as pterygium, for these workers to be referred early to an ophthalmology specialist. With the measurement and recording of the visual acuity of workers at certain intervals, workplace accidents can be reduced by taking precautions such as the referral to ophthalmology specialists of those determined to have a decrease in visual acuity.https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/3112403C634A465C8BC54DBDD26624BEoccupational healthpterygiumwoundsand injuries
spellingShingle İbrahim Ethem Ay
Seher Palanbek Yavaş
Caner Baysan
A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON MARBLE WORKERS: OCCUPATIONAL EYE HEALTH PROBLEMS AND RISK FACTORS
İstanbul Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi
occupational health
pterygium
wounds
and injuries
title A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON MARBLE WORKERS: OCCUPATIONAL EYE HEALTH PROBLEMS AND RISK FACTORS
title_full A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON MARBLE WORKERS: OCCUPATIONAL EYE HEALTH PROBLEMS AND RISK FACTORS
title_fullStr A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON MARBLE WORKERS: OCCUPATIONAL EYE HEALTH PROBLEMS AND RISK FACTORS
title_full_unstemmed A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON MARBLE WORKERS: OCCUPATIONAL EYE HEALTH PROBLEMS AND RISK FACTORS
title_short A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON MARBLE WORKERS: OCCUPATIONAL EYE HEALTH PROBLEMS AND RISK FACTORS
title_sort cross sectional study on marble workers occupational eye health problems and risk factors
topic occupational health
pterygium
wounds
and injuries
url https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/3112403C634A465C8BC54DBDD26624BE
work_keys_str_mv AT ibrahimethemay acrosssectionalstudyonmarbleworkersoccupationaleyehealthproblemsandriskfactors
AT seherpalanbekyavas acrosssectionalstudyonmarbleworkersoccupationaleyehealthproblemsandriskfactors
AT canerbaysan acrosssectionalstudyonmarbleworkersoccupationaleyehealthproblemsandriskfactors
AT ibrahimethemay crosssectionalstudyonmarbleworkersoccupationaleyehealthproblemsandriskfactors
AT seherpalanbekyavas crosssectionalstudyonmarbleworkersoccupationaleyehealthproblemsandriskfactors
AT canerbaysan crosssectionalstudyonmarbleworkersoccupationaleyehealthproblemsandriskfactors