PREVALENCE OF OBJECTIVE EYE MANIFESTATIONS IN PEOPLE WORKING IN OFFICE BUILDINGS WITH DIFFERENT PREVALENCES OF THE SICK BUILDING SYNDROME COMPARED WITH THE GENERAL-POPULATION

A cross-sectional clinical epidemiological study was carried out among 169 office workers in four Copenhagen town halls with different preva lences of the sick building syndrome. The results were compared with t hose in 112 subjects randomly selected from the general population. Bi omicroscopic eye manifestations, such as premature break-up of the pre corneal tear film, absence of foam at the inner eye canthus and epithe lial damage of the bulbar conjunctiva, were investigated together with self-reported eye complaints. Although intercorrelated, the objective eye manifestations independently were statistically associated with s elf-reported eye complaints in office workers. The prevalence of the o bjective eye manifestations was significantly elevated in office worke rs compared with the general population and most pronounced for the bu ildings with a high prevalence of the sick building syndrome (P < 0.00 1). In the general population, subjects with a non-industrial occupati on, including office workers, had a significantly higher prevalence of objective eye manifestations than those with an industrial occupation (P = 0.03), but the prevalence was still significantly lower than tha t among the office workers in buildings with a high prevalence of the sick building syndrome (P < 0.001). Since possible confounders were fo und not to explain the difference in prevalence of objective eye manif estations and complaints among the two populations, it is concluded th at the office environment (buildings and/or type of office work) promo tes these objective changes accompanied by self-reported complaints.