Occupational Eye Injury Among Sawmill Workers in Nigeria

To determine the prevalence and pattern of occupational ocular injuries in sawmill workers in Nigeria. A cross-sectional study of sawmill workers was carried out using pretested questionnaires. Ocular examination was done on site with a pen torch, portable hand-held slit lamp bio-microscope and direct ophthalmoscope. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 16) was used to analyze the data obtained; p<0.05 was taken as significant. A total of 553 saw mill workers were studied of which 449 (81.2%) and 104 (18.8%) were technical and administrative sawmill workers respectively. There were 496 (89.7%) males giving a male to female ratio of 8.7:1. The mean age and standard deviation w as 38.9 years ± 12.8, respectively. The prevalence of work related ocular trauma was 10.7% with the technical worker being more likely to develop ocular injury than administrative worker (Odds ratio 15.3, p<0.001). Superficial foreign body, 42 (71.2%) was the most common presentation while anterior uveitis, 12 (2.2%) was the most common ocular disorder arising from trauma. Wood, 25 (42.4%) was the main agent implicated in the aetiology of the injury. Use of protective eye wear was in 7 (1.6%) technical workers while monocular blindness arising from injury at work occurred in 5 (0.9%) workers. Work related ocular injuries in sawmill workers in Nigeria can be preventable if adequate safety practices are enforced.