ASSOCIATION OF RISK FACTORS OF PTERYGIUM IN PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT OCCUPATIONS ATTENDING EYE OPD HAYATABAD MEDICAL COMPLEX PESHAWAR

To find Association of risk factors of pterygium with people of different occupations. A cross sectional study was conducted in eye OPD Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar. Study duration was six months. An informed consent was taken from each subject. Eyes of 70 patients with unilateral and bilateral pterygium of different sizes and grades were examined, and size of pterygium was evaluated using slit-lamp and ophthalmoscope, and was graded depending on amount of corneal involvement. Data was recorded on questionnaire. Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 17 was used for analysis of results. Sample size of the study was 70, out of these 47(67.1%) were male subjects and 23(32%) were female subjects. Mean age was 53 years. In the study many risk factors have been identified in which the main contributing factors were sun exposure (54.3%) and dust exposure (40%). The identified risk factors then compared with different occupations. In drivers the main risk factors were sun and dust exposure (100%). In labourers main risk factor was sun exposure (94.1%). In housewives main risk factor was fire exposure (45.4%). Major risk factor in black collars was dust exposure (83.3%). In armed forces peak risk factor was sun exposure (100%). In private job workers peak risk factor was sun exposure (54.4%). In office workers main risk factors were sun, irritant and dust exposure (16.6%) Among the identified risk factors most common were sun and dust exposures. Comparison of risk factors with different occupations showed that in drivers, labourers, black collars, armed forces and in private job workers the main risk factor was sun exposure. In housewives main risk factor was heat exposure while in office worker the contributing risk factors were sun, irritant and dust exposure.