Abstract
<jats:p>Background.Coal industry workers are exposed to adverse occupational factors such as coal dust, low humidity, and artificial lighting, which may negatively affect the ocular surface and contribute to the development of dry eye disease.Objective.To assess the severity of dry eye symptoms in coal miners using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire.Materials and Methods.A survey of miners was conducted using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire. A total of 55respondents with fully completed OSDI questionnaires were included in the study. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Group comparisons were performed using Spearman correlation analysis.Results.The mean OSDI score was 75.85±14.65 points, with a median of 72.92 and a range of 50–100. A moderate negative correlation was found between the overall use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and OSDI scores (ρ=–0.510; p=0.0001), indicating a reduction in the severity of dry eye symptoms with more consistent PPE use.Additionally, moderate positive correlations were identified between OSDI scores and exposure to the following adverse occupational factors:Exposure to gases (ρ=0.429; p=0.0011), Inadequate ventilation (ρ=0.412; p=0.0018), Number of working days (ρ=0.414; p=0.0023), Working in PPE (ρ=0.391; p=0.0073), Night shifts (ρ=0.324; p=0.0178). A moderate negative correlation was also observed with humidity level (ρ=–0.405; p=0.0021) and lighting (ρ=–0.300; p=0.0260), suggesting a protective role of optimal microclimatic conditions.Conclusion.A high prevalence of dry eye symptoms was identified among coal miners. The findings suggest a potential impact of occupational conditions on ocular surface health.Keywords:coal miners, occupational eye diseases, coal dust exposure, ophthalmic pathology, dry eye disease (DED), corneal and conjunctival disorders, occupational health, prevalence of eye diseases.</jats:p>