Eye symptoms and use of eye protection among seasonal and migrant farmworkers.

BACKGROUND

Farmworkers face an array of environmental and workplace hazards that pose risks of eye damage from accidents involving agricultural chemicals and equipment and from exposure to wind, dust, and ultraviolet rays. Eye safety risks are known among industrial and agricultural occupations, yet little is known about the prevalence of eye symptoms and use of eye protection among farmworkers.

METHODS

A survey of 197 Latino farmworkers in North Carolina used self-report data to measure workers' prevalence of eye symptoms and eye protection use.

RESULTS

Eye pain and redness after working all day in the field were reported by more than 40% of workers. Most (98.4%) reported not wearing sunglasses when working in the fields; reasons included lack of sunglasses and interference with field tasks.

CONCLUSIONS

Eye symptoms are prevalent in this population. Failure to use eye protection indicates the need for further education and training of Latino farmworkers and their employers about occupational risks to eyesight.