[Dry eye among urban motorcycle taxi drivers in the city of Douala: A significant occupational disease]

Abstract

Introduction: Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial disease of the ocular surface in which environmental factors play an important role. The goal of this study was to investigate the epidemiological and clinical features of dry eye among professional urban motorcycle taxi drivers in the city of Douala.

Patients and methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional, analytical study of professional motorcycle taxi drivers in the city of Douala. DED was defined as a Schirmer test strip impregnation<15mm after 5min and an Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score>12. The variables studied were demographic and clinical. We used Chi-square and Fisher exact tests as tests of association of qualitative variables, with significance defined as P<0.05.

Results: The study population included 200 patients (400 eyes), and the mean age was 32.31±8.59 years (95 CI [32.11-33.50]). DED was present in 33.5% of subjects 95 CI [0.27; 0.40] and severe in 6.5% 95 CI [0.03; 0.11]. Age (> 40 years), 5 to 10 years of driving experience, and lack of use of a helmet were associated with the risk of dry eye.

Conclusion: DED was common in the population studied, with the risk of occurrence increasing with the driver's age and years of experience. Hence the need for systematic screening in this professional group.

Keywords: Chauffeur; Douala; Drivers; Dry eye; Motorcycle; Mototaxi; Sécheresse oculaire.