[Eye symptoms in office employees working at computer stations].

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study was to measure the prevalence and intensity of eye symptoms in office workers who use computers on a regular basis, and to find out if the symptoms depend on the duration of computer use and other work-related factors.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Office workers employed at large social services companies in two cities (Warszawa and Katowice) were invited to fill in a questionnaire (cross-sectional study). The questions included work history and history of last-week eye symptoms and eye-related complains. Altogether 477 men and women returned the completed questionnaires. Between-group symptom differences were tested by the chi-square test and verified by the results of multivariate logistic analysis. The examined effects included the role of daily computer use and lighting conditions at work stations.

RESULTS

The examined persons complained of such eye symptoms as eye strain, visual acuity impairment and mucosal dryness or eye burning. The following values of symptom prevalence were found in women and men, respectively: eye strain 50.7% and 32.6%, disturbed visual acuity 38.3% and 21.2%, mucosal dryness and eye burning 46.5% and 24.2%. The results of multivariate analysis confirmed the statistically significant effects of lighting intensity and screen flickering on the occurrence of symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Frequent occurrence of eye symptoms and their associatation with some characteristics of the work environment point to the need of observing ergonomic standards of work stations and of the usage of computers at work.