Chemical and traumatic occupational eye exposures in aviation personnel. 2011

Harry C Karydes, and John L Zautcke, and Michele Zell-Kanter
Cook County Hospital (Stroger), Chicago, IL 60612, USA.

BACKGROUND The eye is vulnerable to chemical exposure and foreign body infiltration in the occupational setting. Individuals working in the aviation field are prone to these types of exposures. METHODS We conducted a 28-mo retrospective chart review to document the number of airline workers complaining of chemical or foreign body exposure to the eye at an onsite airport medical clinic. The International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9), code for chemical conjunctivitis (372.5), was used to identify patients' charts. We documented the type of treatment that was initiated and whether there was eye damage. We further investigated the chemical composition of the products and whether there was any associated toxicity. RESULTS Few instances of chemical exposure and foreign body infiltration were found. Patients were exposed to the following products: lubricants (e.g., naphthenic oils), hydraulic fluid (e.g., petroleum or phosphate ester based), jet fuel (e.g., kerosene), and de-icing agents (e.g., propylene glycol). There was no documentation regarding the use of personal protection equipment in the patients' charts. All patients received eye irrigation with normal saline. No sequelae were documented. CONCLUSIONS Airline personnel are exposed to a variety of chemical agents in the workplace. None of the agents that workers were exposed to in this small study exhibited toxic effects to the eye. Proper use of personal protection equipment in aviation personnel may limit the number of chemical and foreign body eye exposures.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007507 Therapeutic Irrigation The washing of a body cavity or surface by flowing water or solution for therapy or diagnosis. Douching,Lavage,Douchings,Irrigation, Therapeutic,Irrigations, Therapeutic,Lavages,Therapeutic Irrigations
D005131 Eye Injuries Damage or trauma inflicted to the eye by external means. The concept includes both surface injuries and intraocular injuries. Injuries, Eye,Eye Injury,Injury, Eye
D005579 Fossil Fuels Any combustible hydrocarbon deposit formed from the remains of prehistoric organisms. Examples are petroleum, coal, and natural gas. Fossil Fuel,Fuel, Fossil,Fuels, Fossil
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000337 Aerospace Medicine That branch of medicine dealing with the studies and effects of flight through the atmosphere or in space upon the human body and with the prevention or cure of physiological or psychological malfunctions arising from these effects. (from NASA Thesaurus) Aviation Medicine,Space Medicine,Medicine, Aerospace,Medicine, Aviation,Medicine, Space
D012189 Retrospective Studies Studies used to test etiologic hypotheses in which inferences about an exposure to putative causal factors are derived from data relating to characteristics of persons under study or to events or experiences in their past. The essential feature is that some of the persons under study have the disease or outcome of interest and their characteristics are compared with those of unaffected persons. Retrospective Study,Studies, Retrospective,Study, Retrospective
D012997 Solvents Liquids that dissolve other substances (solutes), generally solids, without any change in chemical composition, as, water containing sugar. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed) Solvent
D016273 Occupational Exposure The exposure to potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological agents that occurs as a result of one's occupation. Exposure, Occupational,Exposures, Occupational,Occupational Exposures
D054327 Lubricants Compounds that provide LUBRICATION between surfaces in order to reduce FRICTION. Lubricant,Lubricating Agents,Lubrication Agents,Agents, Lubricating,Agents, Lubrication
D060051 Occupational Injuries Injuries sustained from incidents in the course of work-related activities. Injuries, Occupational,Injury, Occupational,Occupational Injury

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