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Relation between colour vision loss and occupational styrene exposure level.
Y Y Gong1, R Kishi, Y Katakura
1Department of Public Health, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan. gongyy@med.hokudai.ac.jp
Occupational and Environmental Medicine
|December 7, 2002
Summary
Styrene exposure can impair color vision, even at low levels below 10 ppm. Past high exposure over 50 ppm may cause lasting vision damage, necessitating a review of safety limits.
Area of Science:
- Occupational health
- Toxicology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Styrene is a common industrial solvent.
- Occupational exposure to styrene may pose risks to vision.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between styrene exposure levels and color vision loss.
- To assess current, cumulative, and maximum past exposure levels in relation to visual impairment.
Main Methods:
- Color vision assessed using the Lanthony desaturated panel D-15 test.
- 76 styrene-exposed workers and 102 controls were studied.
- Exposure levels measured via atmospheric styrene concentration and urinary metabolites (mandelic acid and phenylglyoxylic acid).
Main Results:
- Exposed workers showed significantly different color vision compared to controls.
- Color vision impairment was linked to styrene exposure, even below 10 ppm.
- Maximum past exposure exceeding 50 ppm correlated with significantly higher color vision impairment.
Conclusions:
- Styrene exposure can lead to color vision deficits, even at concentrations below 10 ppm.
- Transient high styrene exposure (over 50 ppm) may result in persistent visual damage.
- Current styrene exposure limits and the full spectrum of ocular damage require re-evaluation.