[Does the modern office environment desiccate the eyes?]. / Udtørrer det moderne kontormiljø øjnene?

Eye irritation is a common complaint in the modern office environment. The causes are still unknown. It appears that high preocular relative humidity protects the precorneal tear film against desiccation and airborne chemicals and reduces the development of eye irritation by airborne sensory irritants. This is particularly relevant for intensive computer work, where the precorneal tear film is altered, resulting in dryness of the eye. The reduction of the blink frequency during computer work promotes desiccation of the precorneal tear film; the frequency is moderately correlated with both the tear film thickness and the aqueous loss. For this reason, it is important to plan the workplace and work schedule in such a way to maintain a normal eye blink frequency to minimise alterations of the precorneal tear film.

Eye irritation and environmental factors in the office environment--hypotheses, causes and a physiological model.

The study reviews eye irritation using a multidisciplinary approach. Potential risk factors and objective gender differences are identified, and possible hypotheses for eye irritation caused by indoor air pollution are discussed. Eye irritation depends somewhat on destabilization of the outer-eye tear film. An integrated physiological risk model with blink frequency, destabilization, and break-up of the eye tear film as inseparable phenomena may explain eye irritation among office workers in terms of occupational, climate, and eye-related physiological risk factors. Certain volatile organic compounds that are both chemically reactive and airway irritants may cause eye irritation. If airborne particles alone should destabilize the tear film and cause eye irritation, their content of surface-active compounds must be high. Personal factors (eg, use of contact lenses, eye make-up, and certain medication) may also affect destabilization of the tear film and possibly result in more eye symptoms.