Prevalence and determinants of work-related ocular symptoms among dentists of Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: The present study aims to investigate the prevalence of work-related ocular symptoms and their associated factors among Bangladeshi dentists. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 747 practicing dental surgeons working in government and private facilities across Bangladesh. Participants were recruited using snowball sampling, and an online semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The study collected sociodemographic information, clinical practice details, and ocular symptoms-related information. Regarding ocular symptoms, the participants were asked to report the occurrence of common ocular symptoms (e.g., eye itching, eye pain, blurring) in the last month. RESULTS: The study found a high prevalence of ocular symptoms among dentists, with the most common being eye itching (46.85%), blurring of vision (41.1%), and eye pain (40.7%). Female dentists were more likely to report ocular symptoms, with males having lower odds of eye pain (AOR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.40-0.85) and itching (AOR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.40-0.85). Smoking was a strong predictor of eye pain (AOR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.19-3.11) and itching (AOR: 1.92, 95% CI: 1.19-3.11). Dentists working > 28 hours per week (AOR: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.07-3.44) and attending >5 patients/day (AOR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.08-2.12) had higher odds of developing eye pain, while routine ocular checkups were associated with lower odds of eye pain (AOR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.44-0.89). CONCLUSION: Ocular symptoms are highly prevalent among Bangladeshi dentists, emphasizing the need for regular eye checkups, ergonomic practices, and workload adjustments to mitigate occupational risk factors and protect visual health.