Department of Ophthalmology, Heping Fuyou Branch, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
University of Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan.
PLoS One. 2021 Jul 29;16(7):e0255136. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255136. eCollection 2021.
Cataract is a public health concern worldwide that differentially affects rural residents of outlying islands where ultraviolet radiation (UVR) may have greater penetration because of less shading.
To assess the relationships between attitudes and practices of eye protection and eye diseases for residents of an offshore island of Taiwan.
Questionnaire survey was administered to local residents (age > 50 years) regarding socio-demographic information, attitudes/practices of eye protection under sun exposure and eye diseases.
A total of 816 participants (response rate 90.7%, 816/900) completed the questionnaires. Mean age was 63.7 (+ 10.8) years. Among these participants, 44.4%, 15.1% and 8.3% had cataract, dry eye and glaucoma, respectively. Although 86.3% and 88.2% of participants agreed that they should avoid outdoor activities and wear glasses/broad-brimmed hats in harsh daylight, 69.4% and 48.3% of participants never/rarely used glasses or hats/umbrellas in harsh daylight, respectively. Predictors of less practices of eye protection against solar UVR included residents who were male, with lower education level, with longer residence and lack of commercial health insurance. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that practices of eye protection under sun exposure were significantly associated with less cataract, but not glaucoma or dry eye. Participants who did not wear glasses, broad-brimmed hats/use umbrellas or both in harsh sunlight (almost) every time were respectively associated with a 57% (P = 0.028), 45% (P = 0.027) or 70% (P = 0.026) increase of cataract than those who did in harsh sunlight (almost) every time.
Practices of eye protection under sun exposure is associated with lower risk of cataract.
白内障是全球公共卫生关注的问题，在偏远岛屿的农村居民中发病率更高，因为那里的紫外线（UVR）穿透力更强，遮阳较少。
评估台湾外岛居民的眼部保护态度和实践与眼部疾病之间的关系。
对当地（年龄>50 岁）居民进行问卷调查，内容包括社会人口统计学信息、阳光暴露下的眼部保护态度/实践以及眼部疾病。
共有 816 名参与者（应答率 90.7%，900 名中的 816 名）完成了问卷。平均年龄为 63.7（+10.8）岁。在这些参与者中，分别有 44.4%、15.1%和 8.3%患有白内障、干眼症和青光眼。尽管 86.3%和 88.2%的参与者认为他们应避免户外活动并在强光下戴眼镜/宽边帽，但仍有 69.4%和 48.3%的参与者在强光下从不/很少戴眼镜或帽子/雨伞。对太阳紫外线防护措施较少的预测因素包括男性、教育程度较低、居住时间较长且缺乏商业健康保险的居民。多变量逻辑回归显示，阳光暴露下的眼部保护措施与白内障的发生显著相关，但与青光眼或干眼症无关。在强光下（几乎）从不戴眼镜、宽边帽/使用雨伞或两者都不戴的参与者，与在强光下（几乎）每次都戴的参与者相比，白内障的风险分别增加了 57%（P=0.028）、45%（P=0.027）或 70%（P=0.026）。
阳光暴露下的眼部保护措施与白内障的风险降低有关。
