Assessment of the Impact of Occupational Risk Factors on the Development of Glaucoma

Abstract

Background: Glaucoma is a large group of eye diseases characterized by a constant or periodic increase in intraocular pressure followed by the development of typical visual field defects, decreased visual acuity and atrophy of the optic nerve. Glaucoma affects about 3 % of the population and is the cause of blindness in 15 % of the blind all over the world. The study of the mechanisms of glaucoma development indicates the multifactorial nature of this disease and the role of the threshold effect in its occurrence. It has been established that specific occupational risk factors determine the frequency of glaucoma, which must be taken into account in elaboration of appropriate preventive measures. Objective: To characterize occupational risk factors and their impact on the development of glaucoma. Materials and methods: To study the prevalence of glaucoma among the population of the city of Kazan, we used data on seeking specific ophthalmic advice for glaucoma in municipal outpatient clinics. To study adverse eye health effects of occupational risk factors, a special “Map for Studying the Impact of Occupational Risk Factors on the Development of Glaucoma in the Population of Kazan in 2012–2021” was developed. The strength of the influence of occupational risk factors was determined using the multivariate analysis of variance. Results: Glaucoma patients are often exposed to such occupational risk factors as high neuropsychiatric tension (29.7 %), heavy physical labor (10.7 %), chemicals (6.2 %), and night shifts (3.9 %). Conclusions: Our findings indicate the importance of early detection of adverse health effects of occupational risk factors; necessitate appropriate preventive measures, follow-up, and planning of therapeutic and preventive care for patients with glaucoma.