The purpose of this study is to present our first data and impressions of the sun protection habits and conjunctival ultraviolet autofluorescence (UVAF) of a randomly selected target group.
Materials and Methods: A prospective, randomized study, including photographs of 123 subjects (246 eyes) and 200 questionnaires. Subsequently UV photography based on autofluorecence was used. For each eye three pictures were taken - eye in first position, temporal gaze (documenting nasal part of the limbus) and nasal gaze (documenting temporal part of the limbus).
Results: Results are based on the study of 123 subjects (246 eyes). The participants in the study were aged between 5 and 88 years (average age=39). 87% of the surveyed believe that there is a risk of UV damage only in the summer. A significant percentage (55%) do not pay attention to the special protective equipment such as umbrellas and caps. Photography results were analyzed with specialized software and showed that 83 participants (67.48%) have conjunctival autofluorescence, as women prevail (women n=47 persons, men n=36 persons). The area of conjunctival UVAF tends to increase with age. No correlation between intensive sun exposure (resp. UV radiation) and a sharp increase in the dimensions of the UVAF zone is established, suggesting a chronic damage, in support of which is the demonstrative eye damage in people with high-risk occupations (associated with electric welding, lifeguards and other outdoor occupations).
Conclusions: We suggested that the area and the intensity of UVAF increases with age, and probably corresponds only to a chronic damage. The degree of damage correlates to a large extent to the bad sun protection habits demonstrated in the questionnaire.
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