Assessment of seasonal variations in dry eye syndrome prevalence among office workers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v15i9.66957Keywords:
Dry eye syndrome; Prevalence; Seasonal variations; Symptom severity; Environmental factorsAbstract
Background: Dry eye syndrome (DES) is prevalent among office workers and influenced by various environmental and individual factors. This study assesses the prevalence, seasonal variations, symptom severity, and environmental influences on DES among office workers.
Aims and Objectives: The study aimed to assess the prevalence of DES among office workers in Warangal, Telangana, India, and to evaluate the impact of seasonal variations, symptom severity, and environmental factors on DES.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 100 office workers aged 25–55 years old. Data were collected through questionnaires on DES symptoms, environmental conditions, and demographics. The prevalence of DES was calculated, and seasonal variations were analyzed. Symptom severity was recorded on a scale from 1 to 10. Environmental factors such as humidity, air-conditioning use, screen time, and indoor air quality were examined for their correlation with DES prevalence.
Results: The overall prevalence of DES was 45%, with females showing a higher prevalence (50%) compared to males (37.5%). Seasonal variations showed the highest DES prevalence in winter (40%) and the lowest in summer (16%). Symptom severity scores were highest in winter (6.5 overall) and lowest in summer (3.8 overall). Low humidity in winter was associated with a 55% prevalence of DES, especially among females (65%). High air-conditioning use in summer correlated with a lower DES prevalence (12.5%). Increased screen time (>6 h/day) resulted in a 60% prevalence of DES, with seasonal peaks in winter (65%). Poor indoor air quality was reported by 70% of participants and linked to a 50% prevalence of DES.
Conclusion: The study highlights significant gender differences, seasonal variations, and environmental factors impacting DES prevalence and severity among office workers. Interventions focusing on improving workplace conditions, managing screen time, and enhancing indoor air quality may mitigate DES symptoms.
Downloads
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Asian Journal of Medical Sciences
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- The journal holds copyright and publishes the work under a Creative Commons CC-BY-NC license that permits use, distribution and reprduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes. The journal should be recognised as the original publisher of this work.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
