Wearing of spectacles and occurrence of ocular symptoms in close work in different occupations

To study the wearing of spectacles in different occupations we sent a questionnaire to all 26- and 46-year-old people (altogether 3,337 subjects) in the Jyväskylä district. 69% in the older age group and 42% in the younger age group had spectacles. Women wore spectacles more often than men. There was a correlation between the use of spectacles and accurate occupational close work. The proportion of those wearing spectacles was highest in subjects working, at least partly, with Visual Display Units (VDU). Farmers, industrial workers and service personnel wore spectacles less often than those in other occupations. In the older age group 70% and in the younger age group 11% of the subjects considered that they do not have good near vision without spectacles. Of those who used spectacles, 90% in the older and 52% in the younger age group reported that their near vision is better with spectacles than without them. In both age groups there was a positive correlation between the use of spectacles and the duration of daily close work. Subjective ocular symptoms occurred equally in different close work categories in the younger age group. In the older age group, those doing VDU work and reading and writing work had less symptoms of eye problems than those in other job categories.