Impact of Air Pollution on Tear Film Stability After an Explosion
Author Information
Author(s): Moen Bente E, Norbäck D, Wieslander G, Bakke JV, Magerøy N, Granslo JT, Irgens Å, Bråtveit M, Hollund BE, Aasen T
Primary Institution: University of Bergen
Hypothesis
Persons who had been working or living close to the polluted area would have a shorter tear film break-up time than persons who lived farther away.
Conclusion
Reduced tear film stability was found among workers in an area where an explosion accident had occurred.
Supporting Evidence
- Both NIBUT and SBUT were shorter among the male exposed workers than among the inhabitants both near and far away from the explosion area.
- The response rate was 76 percent in the exposed group and 59 in the unexposed group.
- Low SBUT was related to high exposure (workers) among the male participants.
Takeaway
People who worked near a pollution site had more trouble keeping their eyes wet than those who lived far away.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study comparing tear film stability among workers and residents near an explosion site to those living farther away.
Potential Biases
The examinations were not performed blindly, introducing the possibility of bias.
Limitations
The study was cross-sectional, making it difficult to establish causation, and there was a potential for selection bias due to differing response rates.
Participant Demographics
The study included 734 participants aged 18-67, with 38% women and 62% men.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.1-3.8
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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