Assessment of ocular surface morbidity among personnel of a nuclear energy facility

Abstract

Relevance. One of the main areas of scientific support for work in the field of ensuring radiation safety during the liquidation of nuclear legacy is the assessment of radiation effects among personnel of nuclear industry enterprises and the most significant radiogenic risks among workers of these enterprises. Objective. To conduct a retrospective analysis of ocular surface morbidity among personnel of a nuclear energy facility under long-term man-made external irradiation. Materials and methods. A retrospective analysis of ocular surface morbidity among personnel of a nuclear energy facility (NUF) under long-term man-made external irradiation was carried out, taking into account the absorbed dose equivalent. The medical records of 3,795 employees were analyzed, divided into 2 groups: main - medical records of 2,546 employees of the main production; comparison - medical records of 1249 employees of auxiliary production. Results. According to the results of a retrospective analysis, blepharoconjunctivitis, inflammation of the lacrimal drainage apparatus, and inflammatory lesions of the cornea are the most common among OAE personnel. At the same time, there is a statistically significant increase in the pathology of the ocular surface as the dose load increases among personnel of both the main and auxiliary production facilities of nuclear power plants. Conclusion. Among nuclear facility personnel exposed to long-term technogenic exposure to ionizing radiation, there is a statistically significant increase in the number of cases of ocular surface diseases as the dose load of soft tissues increases. Keywords: ionizing radiation, long-term technogenic external exposure, ocular surface, morbidity