Description of Main Predictors for Taking Sick Leave Associated with Work-Related Eye Injuries in Spain.

Recent studies in Spain have shown that males, younger workers, and people involved in manual jobs had the highest risk of suffering a work-related eye injury (WREI). This study aims to assess the predictors of sick leave associated with WREI and to compare them with risk factors of initial injury. A retrospective and descriptive study of WREI that causes sick leave of one or more days among workers from an insurance labor mutual company in Spain was conducted over a period from 2008 to 2018. The variables of the study were sex, age, occupation, and type of injury. A total of 9352 (18.6% of 50,265 WREI) cases and 113,395 total days of sick leave were observed, with an estimated EUR 4,994,009.59 of associated labor cost. The main predictors of sick leave related to WREI were found to be female (highest incidence; 25.9 (95% CI (24.8-27.1))), >55 years of age (highest incidence; 20.5 (95% CI (19.3-21.7))), not working in the industry (lowest incidence; 13.8 (95% CI (13.3-14.2))), and not suffering "other disorders of conjunctiva" (lowest incidence; 5.7 (95% CI (4.7-6.8))). The consequences associated with WREI are worse for female and older workers, despite the main risk of suffering WREI being observed in males and younger workers.

Eye Injuries Epidemiology Description in a Working Population over 10 Years in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Several studies show a high percentage of eye injuries related to work compared to other origins. However, there are few studies that describe work-related eye injuries. METHODS: A descriptive, retrospective, and longitudinal study that describes the characteristics of work-related eye injuries in a group of insured workers. Eye injuries were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) and analyzed over 10 years (2008-2018). RESULTS: Keratitis and conjunctivitis were the most prevalent injuries (26,674 (53.1%) and 15,906 (31.6%)). Keratitis and conjunctivitis also show the highest percentage of injury incidence per 100,000 insured workers in both sexes, any age group, and any occupation. The analysis of the cumulative percentage change and average annual percent change in incidences over ten years shows a decrease in the incidences of all injuries, except for other disorders of the eye and anexa. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the work-related eye injuries affect the most exposed eye structures in any line of work: the cornea and conjunctiva. Suitable protection of these eye structures will decrease the number of cases of work-related eye injuries.