Condição ocular entre trabalhadores de uma indústria metalúrgica brasileira

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the ocular condition in a brazilian ironmaster industry. Method: A prospective study was conducted in 2516 employees from an ironmaster brazilian industry in São Paulo city, Brazil. A questionnaire was applied and visual acuity and Ishihara test were performed in every individual. A complete ophthalmic evaluation (slit lamp examination, fundoscopy, tonometry and refractometry) was done when the visual acuity was worse than 0.7 or when the worker had a greater diference between the eyes (more than two lines) or when there were ocular complains. Glasses were prescribed when necessary. Results: Most of the evaluated employees in this industry was male (62.5%), ageing from 20 to 29 year old (41%).Visual acuity was normal in 95.5 % of the eyes. The majority of the individuals (84%) did not need glasses prescription. Fifty-five percent of the employees were considered as normal eye carriers, 13.6% presented presbyopia, 10% presented myopic astigmatism and 7.7% hyperopic astigmatism.Visual impairment was present in 2,4% and blindness in one eye of 0,4% of the studied individuals. The main cause of visual impairment was refractive errors and amblyopia. Conclusion: The majority of the employees, in this particular industry, presented with a normal ophthalmic examination. None of them had bilateral blindness.