Prediction of Computer Vision Syndrome in Health Personnel by Means of Genetic Algorithms and Binary Regression Trees.

One of the major consequences of the digital revolution has been the increase in the use of electronic devices in health services. Despite their remarkable advantages, though, the use of computers and other visual display terminals for a prolonged time may have negative effects on vision, leading to a greater risk of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) among their users. In this study, the importance of ocular and visual symptoms related to CVS was evaluated, and the factors associated with CVS were studied, with the help of an algorithm based on regression trees and genetic algorithms. The performance of this proposed model was also tested to check its ability to predict how prone a worker is to suffering from CVS. The findings of the present research confirm a high prevalence of CVS in healthcare workers, and associate CVS with a longer duration of occupation and higher daily computer usage.

Translation and cultural adaptation of the Computer Vision Syndrome Questionnaire (CVS-Q) into Italian.

BACKGROUND: The original Spanish version of the Computer Vision Syndrome Questionnaire (CVS-Q©) is a validated instrument with good psychometric properties to measure the Computer Visual Syndrome (CVS) in workers exposed to video display terminals (VDT). The Italian version would facilitate research and its use in clinical practice the prevention of occupational hazards. OBJECTIVE: To culturally translate and adapt the CVS-Q© into Italian. METHODS: Study with 5 consecutive stages: Direct translation, Synthesis of translations, Retro-translation, Consolidation by a committee of experts and Pre-test. During the Pre-test, a cross-sectional pilot study was conducted on users of VDT (n=40) who completed the Italian version of the questionnaire. Socio-demographic information and exposure assessment to VDT was also collected, as well as on the difficulty to fill in the CVS-Q©. RESULTS: The final version into Italian of the CVS-Q© was obtained. The totality of the sample considered that it didn't present difficulty in its completion and 90% confirmed that no improvement was needed; so that the 15% required to make changes was not reached. The mean age of participants was of 35.80±16.28 (20-65 years), 57.5% were women and 67.5% used VDT at work. A prevalence of CVS of 62.5% was observed. CONCLUSION: The CVS-Q© can be considered a tool easy to understand and manage for measuring the CVS in the population exposed to VDT in Italy.

Ocular surface and tear film status among contact lens wearers and non-wearers who use VDT at work: comparing three different lens types.

PURPOSE: To analyze differences in the ocular surface appearance and tear film status of contact lens wearers and non-wearers in a group of visual display terminals (VDT) workers and additionally to assess differences between lens materials. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 236 office workers, of whom 92 were contact lens wearers. Workers provided information on their contact lenses (conventional hydrogel, silicone hydrogel or rigid gas permeable lenses) and exposure to VDT at work. Ocular surface and tear film status were determined by the presence of bulbar, limbal and lid redness, lid roughness and corneal staining type, and by Schirmer's and tear break-up time tests (TBUT). A generalized linear model was used to calculate the crude (cRR) and age- and sex-adjusted (aRR) relative risk to measure the association between ocular surface and tear film abnormalities and contact lens use and type. RESULTS: The aRR of ocular surface abnormalities was higher in contact lens wearers compared to non-wearers: bulbar redness (aRR 1.69; 95% CI 1.25-2.30), limbal redness (aRR 2.87; 1.88-4.37), lid redness (aRR 2.53; 1.35-4.73) and lid roughness (aRR 7.03; 1.31-37.82). VDT exposure > 4 h/day increased wearers' risk of limbal and lid redness. Conventional hydrogel wearers had the highest risk of ocular surface abnormalities, followed by silicone hydrogel wearers. Both contact and non-contact lens wearers had a high prevalence of altered TBUT (77.3 and 75.7% respectively) and Schirmer (51.8 and 41.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Regular contact lens use during VDT exposure at work increases risk of bulbar, limbal and lid redness, and lid roughness, especially in soft contact lens wearers. The high prevalence of altered TBUT and Schirmer's results in all participants suggests that VDT use greatly affects tear film characteristics.

Discapacidad laboral auto-percibida en trabajadores de un centro de educación especial / Self-Perceived work disability in a school of children with special needs

Objetivo. Las elevadas exigencias psicosociales y físicas de los trabajadores de los Centros de Educación Especial (CEE), conllevan una alta implicación y pueden desencadenar situaciones de estrés y discapacidad laboral. El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar la discapacidad laboral auto-percibida y su relación con variables sociodemográficas, laborales y de salud, en una muestra de trabajadores de este colectivo. Métodos. Estudio transversal realizado con trabajadores (n=40) de un CEE de Murcia (España). Se utilizó la versión en castellano del WRFQ para medir la capacidad laboral auto-percibida, y un cuestionario ad hoc para variables sociodemográficas, laborales y de salud. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo de las variables estudiadas. Las diferencias entre grupos se estudiaron mediante las pruebas U de Mann-Whitney, T de Student y Kruskal-Wallis. Resultados. La edad media de los participantes fue 40,15 ± 10,53 años, el 82,5% fueron mujeres, el 60% usuarios de ordenador y el 92,50% realizaba atención directa a niños. Las subescalas de exigencias de la producción y exigencias físicas obtuvieron los peores resultados. Presentaron puntuaciones inferiores los trabajadores <40 años en las subescalas de gestión del tiempo (p=0,002) y exigencias de producción (p=0,01); los que empleaban ordenador en gestión del tiempo (p<0,001), exigencias de la producción (p<0,001) y exigencias psicológicas (p=0,005); así como la categoría laboral de directivo y sanitario. Conclusiones. El nivel de discapacidad laboral auto-percibida es bajo, siendo las subescalas exigencias de la producción y exigencias físicas las peor valoradas. Las condiciones de trabajo relacionadas con un mayor grado de discapacidad laboral auto-percibida son el uso de ordenador, la categoría laboral y el manejo de cargas (AU)

Aims. Increased psychosocial and physical demands of the Special Education Centers (SEC) workers can also lead to intense involvement, triggering stressful and to trigger stress situations and potentially work disability. The objective of this study was to assess the self-perceived occupational disability and its relation with socio-demographic, occupational and health variables with in a sample of this these workers. Methods. Cross-sectional study with of 40 SEC workers of in Murcia (Spain) (n = 40). The Spanish WRFQ version was used to measure self-perceived work ability. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used for to collect sociodemographic, occupational, and health variables. A descriptive analysis of the studied variables was performed. Differences between groups were studied using the Mann-Whitney U test, Student's T test and Kruskal-Wallis test. Results.The mean age of the sample was 40.15 ± 10.53 years; 82.5% were women, 60% were computer users and 92.50% were directly attending children. The subscales of production requirements and physical demands had the worst results. Workers <40 years presented lower scores in for the time management subscales (p = 0.002) and production requirements (p = 0.01); Computer computer users in time management (p <0.001), production requirements (p <0.001) and psychological requirements (p = 0.005); as well as among those working as managers and healthcare employeesthe employment status of executive and sanitary. Conclusions.The level of self-perceived occupational disability is was low in this collective, with the subscales of production requirements and physical requirements being the worst evaluated. The working conditions related to a higher degree of self-perceived occupational disability are were the use of of a computer, the employment status and the manual materials handling

[Ocular and visual alterations in computer workers contact lens wearers: scoping review]. / Alteraciones oculares y visuales en personas que trabajan con ordenador y son usuarias de lentes de contacto: una revisión bibliográfica.

BACKGROUND: The high number of computer workers wearing contact lenses raises the question whether the sum of these two risk factors for eye health may cause a worsening of Computer Vision Syndrome. The aim of this review is to synthesize the knowledge about ocular and visual alterations related with computer use in contact lens wearers. METHODS: International review of scientific papers (2003-2013) in Spanish and English, using Scoping Review method, in Medline through PubMed and in Scopus. RESULTS: The initial search provided 114 references, after applying inclusion/exclusion criteria six of them were included. All of them reveal that symptoms when using computer are more prevalent in contact lens wearers, with values of symptoms presentation prevalence ranging from 95.0% to 16.9% in wearers and from 57.5% to 9.9% in non-wearers, and four times more likely to develop dry eye [OR: 4.07 (95% CI: 3.52 to 4.71)]. CONCLUSION: Computer workers suffer more ocular and visual disturbances if they also are contact lens users, but studies are few and non conclusive. Likewise, further research regarding contact lens type and their conditions of use, both in symptoms and tear quality and ocular surface are needed. Silicone hydrogel lenses are associated with more comfort.

Alteraciones oculares y visuales en personas que trabajan con ordenador y son usuarias de lentes de contacto: una revisión bibliográfica / Ocular and Visual Alterations in Computer Workers Contact Lens Wearers: Scoping Review

Fundamentos: El elevado número de personas que trabajando con ordenador utiliza lentes de contacto plantea la cuestión sobre si la suma de estos dos factores de riesgo para la salud visual puede originar un agravamiento del Síndrome Visual Informático. El objetivo de esta revisión es sintetizar el conocimiento científico sobre las alteraciones oculares y visuales relacionadas con la exposición a ordenador en usuarios de lentes de contacto. Métodos: Revisión de artículos científicos (2003-2013) en español e inglés, realizando una búsqueda bibliográfica, en Medline a través de PubMed y en Scopus. Resultados: La búsqueda inicial aportó 114 trabajos, después de aplicar criterios de inclusión/exclusión se incluyeron seis artículos. Todos ellos ponen de manifiesto que las alteraciones al utilizar el ordenador son más frecuentes en las personas usuarias de lentes de contacto, con prevalencias que oscilan de 95,0 % al 16,9 % que en las que no utilizan lentes de contacto, cuya prevalencia va del 57,5 % al 9,9 % y con una probabilidad cuatro veces mayor de padecer ojos eco [OR: 4,07 (IC 95 % : 3,52 - 4,71)]. Conclusiones: Las personas usuarias de ordenador padecen más alteraciones oculares y visuales cuando además son usuarias de lentes de contacto, pero los estudios son escasos y poco contundentes. Se precisan nuevas investigaciones que analicen la influencia según los tipos de lentes y sus condiciones de uso, tanto en la sintomatología como en la calidad de la lágrima y la superficie ocular. Las lentes de hidrogel de silicona son las que se asocian a mayor confort (AU)

Background: The high number of computer workers wearing contact lenses raises the question whether the sum of these two risk factors for eye health may cause a worsening of Computer Vision Syndrome. The aim of this review is to synthesize the knowledge about ocular and visual alterations related with computeruse in contact lens wearers. Methods: International review of scientific papers (20032013) in Spanish and English, using Scoping Review method, in Medline through PubMed and in Scopus. Results: The initial search provided 114 references, after applying inclusion/exclusion criteria six of them were included. All of them reveal that symptoms when using computer are more prevalent in contact lens wearers, with values of symptoms presentation prevalence ranging from 95.0 % to 16.9 % in wearer sandfrom 57.5 % to 9.9 % in non wearers, and four times more likely to develop dry eye [OR : 4.07 (95 % CI : 3.52 to 4.71)]. Conclusion: Computer workers suffer more ocular and visual disturbances if they also a recontact lensusers, but studies are few and non conclusive. Likewise, further research regarding contact lens type and their conditions of use, both in symptoms and tear quality and ocular surface are needed. Silicone hydrogel lenses are associated with more comfort (AU)