Relationship between symptoms of dry eye syndrome and occupational characteristics: the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010-2012.
BACKGROUND
Dry Eye Syndrome (DES) is a broad spectrum of uncomfortable ocular conditions that are caused by reduced production of tears or an increased tear evaporation rate. This study evaluated the relationship between symptoms of DES and occupational characteristics to identify the occupation-dependent differences in the prevalence of symptoms of DES using the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey V (2010-2012) data.


METHODS
A total of 6023 participants were included (3203 men and 2820 women). Questionnaires and physical examinations were used to record clinical characteristics, occupational characteristics and medical history. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CIs) for symptoms of DES were calculated according to the occupational characteristics.


RESULTS
Among the participants, 963 persons (16.0 %) had symptoms of DES. An increased risk (relative to the green-collar group) was observed for the ordinary white-collar (OR, 1.73; 95 % CI, 1.73-1.41), executive white-collar (OR, 1.40; 95 % CI, 1.02-1.92) and skilled blue-collar (OR, 1.44; 95 % CI, 1.04-2.00) groups. Furthermore, paid workers had a significantly higher risk of dry eye symptoms (OR, 1.21; 95 % CI, 1.02-1.45), compared to self-employed workers.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study is the first research to reveal that white-collar workers have a higher risk of symptoms of DES than blue-collar workers, that skilled blue-collar workers have a higher risk than unskilled blue-collar workers, and that paid workers have a higher risk than self-employed workers.
Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. birdjune@naver.com.|The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. birdjune@naver.com.
June-Hee
JH
Lee
Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. oem_wh@naver.com.|The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. oem_wh@naver.com.
Wanhyung
W
Lee
The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. flyinyou@gmail.com.
Jin-Ha
JH
Yoon
Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. go2000shd@gmail.com.|The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. go2000shd@gmail.com.
Hongdeok
H
Seok
Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. JHROH@yuhs.ac.|The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. JHROH@yuhs.ac.|Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Seongsanno (134 Sinchon-dong), Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Korea. JHROH@yuhs.ac.
Jaehoon
J
Roh
Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. juwon@yuhs.ac.|The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. juwon@yuhs.ac.|Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Seongsanno (134 Sinchon-dong), Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Korea. juwon@yuhs.ac.
Jong-Uk
JU
Won
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001824:Body Constitution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010808:Physical Examination; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires