The Role of Long-Term Technogenic Impact Low Doses of Ionizing Radiation in the Development of Pathology of the Organ of Vision

The retrospective analysis was conducted on the incidence rates of eye organ diseases among 2808 employees of an ionizing radiation facility (IRF), based on years of experience and absorbed dose of ionizing radiation. The frequency of refractive anomalies among all ophthalmopathies was recorded at 34.3 %, conjunctivitis at 28.6 %, cataracts at 27.9 %, keratitis at 2.6 %, corneal ulcers at 0.42 %, and inflammations of the tear duct system at 2.2 %. Refractive anomalies were most commonly observed at a rate of 41.2 % among personnel in the age category of 46-55 years, with no significant impact of work experience on the prevalence of this pathology. The frequency of conjunctivitis among IRF personnel with 5–10 years of work experience was statistically significantly higher compared to other groups, and it was more commonly found among individuals aged 31–35 and 36–40 years. Cataracts were most frequently diagnosed among personnel with 16–20 years of work experience, accounting for 25.1 % of all cases of cataract diseases. The most common age at diagnosis ranges from 56 to 60 years (23.9% of the total number of cataract cases). As the absorbed dose IRF of soft tissues increases, the personnel of the IRF show a statistically significant tendency towards an increase in the number of refractive errors, cataracts and inflammatory lesions of the ocular surface.

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