Ophthalmic Challenges in People Exposed to High Intensity Light, with Special Reference to Welders in Anambra State.

Background; Exposure to high-intensity light, especially in occupational settings, can have adverse effects on ocular health. The aim of this study was to investigate the ophthalmic challenges faced by individuals, specifically welders, who were exposed to high-intensity light in both urban and rural areas of Anambra State, Nigeria. Methods; The study consisted of three hundred (300) welders between the ages of 15 to 50 years males who were exposed to high-intensity light in both urban and rural areas of Anambra State. A pretested semi structured questionnaire was used to obtain information on the socio-demographic characteristics, history of eye injury, welding types, and the use of personal protective equipment during welding activities. The test for pterygium was done by physical examination according to the directions given by the Optometrist. Visual acuity was assessed using a Snellen chart placed at a standardized distance of 10 meters. The tests were done for all the three hundred (300) respondents. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze continuous and categorical variables. Results; The results showed that electric arc welding was more predominant (86%), and electric welders exhibit a higher incidence of eye injuries (32%) compared to gas welders (2%). The majority of affected welders fall within the 21-24 and 19-21 age groups. Pterygium cases were insignificantly lower in rural welders 16% compared to Urban welders 18%. Pterygium is more common among electrode welders than oxyacetylene welders . Conclusion; The results revealed that visual acuity declined with an increase in the number of years spent welding. The result showed that electrode welding machine emitted more light intensity 2000 compared to oxyacetylene welding machine 1000. Findings from this study demonstrated that exposure to high light intensity causes serious harm to ocular health. Non-compliance with established protocol for welding have devastating impact on the ocular health.