THOOTHUKUDI: Going by the findings of a recent medical camp, grinding away in the boundless salt pans in sweltering summer year after year seems to have taken a toll on the workers' eyesight. Out of 544 employees examined from five major salt pan industrial clusters in the district, as many as 302 (55.5%) suffered from mild to profound visual impairment. The tested employees were aged between 18 and 93 years, while their mean age was calculated as around 47 years.
The traditional livelihood, which exposes workers to the sun's UV radiations for long hours while spreading out brine for evaporation, is prevalent in Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, Nagapattinam, Viluppuram and Kancheepuram districts. With salt pans spread across 22 villages along the coastal strip, Thoothukudi employs over 25,000 salt pan labourers, which is the highest in the state.
The unorganised sector workers federation, district administration, NSDL database management Ltd and Sankara Nethralaya Hospital organised an eye health camp at Mudukkukadu, Rajapandi Nagar, Kallurani and SV Puram from February 6 to 10. The salt pan workers were examined regarding visual/ocular/general and occupational symptoms, distant and near vision, refractive error assessment, anterior segment/ocular surface examination, non-contact intraocular pressure assessment and posterior segment/retinal examination using non-mydriatic fundus cameras.
As many as 402 women and 142 men, who carry out intense work for around 6 to 12 hours daily, turned up for the check-up. According to a consolidated report, 302 workers (55.5%) suffered from mild to profound visual impairment. "At least 332 (69.1%) workers reported experiencing symptoms of glare from brine and salt crystals, 29 (6 %) reported allergies/blisters/lesions, while four workers said to have suffered chemical injuries in the eye," the camp report revealed.
Based on the findings, Sankara Nethralaya doctors prescribed new spectacles for 364 workers, cataract surgery for 116, and further examination for 162 workers. Speaking to TNIE, Dr Rashima Asokan, Department of Occupational Optometry Services, Sankara Nethralaya Medical Research Foundation, said salt pan workers are constantly exposed to the sun's radiant heat energy and the high concentration of salt in the immediate atmosphere makes them susceptible to a wide range of morbidities.
Eye condition | No. of affected workers |
Profound Vision Impairment | 34 |
Severe Impairment | 38 |
Moderate Vision Impairment | 85 |
Mild Vision Impairment | 145 |
Total | 302 |
| Ocular and ocular-surface morbidities | No. of affected workers |
| Pinguecula | 126 (23.1%) |
| Pterygium | 60 (11 %) |
| Conjunctival Pigmentation | 138 (25.3%) |
| Other observations | No. of affected workers |
| Symptoms of glare | 332(69.1%) |
| Vision difficulty | 371 (68.1%) |
| Allergies/blisters/lesions | 29 (6 %) |
| Chemical injuries | 4 |
| Diabetes Mellitus | 47 (8.6%) |
| WorkRelated Musculoskeletal Disorder | 111 (23.1%) |
| Hypertension | 54 (10 %) |
| Hip and Lower back pain | 73 (15.2%) |