Patterns and Prevention of Occupational Eye Injuries: A Narrative Review

Occupational eye injuries (OEIs) remain a major public health issue despite regulatory efforts toward increasing protective eyewear use. OEIs encompass a wide spectrum of trauma, from superficial injury to tissue melt and globe rupture. These injuries are associated with substantial medical, economic, and social burden. This narrative review identifies risk factors associated with OEIs, differences based on workplace, and barriers to OEI prevention. Risks for OEI include male sex, low educational attainment, low income, or being a temporary or migrant worker. Certain industries such as metalworking, construction and manufacturing, chemical handling, and agriculture, also carry unique ocular hazards that predispose workers to OEIs. Although many OEIs are minor, those that cause severe injury can result in permanent visual loss and blindness. Industrial and construction workers are frequently exposed to high-velocity foreign bodies (FBs) and blunt trauma, while agricultural workers are at elevated risk for open globe injuries, FBs and the vision-threatening sequalae of infection from organic material. Chemical injuries, although less common, are notable for high rates of bilateral eye involvement, often requiring urgent intervention. Unfortunately, most OEIs occur in the absence of proper protective eyewear. Barriers range from discomfort and poor fit, inadequate access, and lack of perceived need, all of which contribute to low compliance in various occupational settings. Current evaluations of behavioral and regulatory interventions to increase adherence show promise but with mixed results. Advances in protective eyewear technology that optimize comfort and usage tracking may be helpful for employers to ensure compliance. A comprehensive understanding of OEI mechanisms and the obstacles to increased protective eyewear use is critical to mitigate the impact of OEIs on workers.