Visual Acuity and Self-Reported Visual Function among Migrant Farmworkers

Abstract

Purpose Visual impairment presents significant risks for occupational injuries among farmworkers, vulnerable population with limited access to vision care. While previous research has noted farmworkers’ low lifetime experience with vision screening and high rates of complaints of eye ailments and poor vision, there have been few screening data collected to evaluate these self-reports. The objectives of this analysis are to (1) describe farmworker visual health using standardized visual acuity screening data and self-reported visual function, and (2) to compare the screening and self-report data. Methods Data are from a cross-sectional study of eye health among Latino migrant farmworkers in North Carolina with uncorrected vision (n=289). Workers were recruited using methods to achieve a representative sample of a hard-to-reach population. Visual acuity data were collected using Snellen Tumbling E charts for nearsightedness and farsightedness. Binocular data are reported here. Interviews were conducted to obtain personal characteristics and self-assessed visual function. Results About 75% of farmworkers reported never having had a vision screening. Based on binocular screening, 1.7% (distance vision) and 6.9% (near vision) had moderate to severe visual impairment (>20/40). Farmworkers self-reported poorer visual function, compared with screening results; only 36.4% reported good or very good vision. Sensitivity of distance and near vision self-reports were 60% and 20%, respectively, but specificity was high. Conclusions This study confirms past reports of little vision screening among farmworkers. Visual impairment for distance is comparable to other studies of Latinos in the US, though these studies have not reported near vision. Self-reports of vision problems are not a sensitive measure of visual acuity among farmworkers. Screening is needed to identify visual impairment that can create occupational safety risks in this health disparate population.

Health profile of workers in an industrial area of Thrissur district: a cross-sectional study

“…It indicates the need for vision screening during the pre-placement and periodic medical examination. 22 Native Kerala workers were older than migrant workers that could be the cause of higher refractory error among them.…”

Differences in Eye Health, Access to Eye Care Specialists and Use of Lenses among Immigrant and Native-Born Workers in Spain

“…Although PELFI is a longitudinal study, the current study of eye health has a transversal design, which limits the ability to establish a causal relationship between variables. The information about access to eye care specialists could be subject to recall bias, and the estimated self-perceived state of eye health could be inaccurate, given that it wasn’t measured objectively [10,39]. However, self-perceived health is used frequently in epidemiological studies because of its validity in predicting morbidity and mortality and its use in following population groups with specific health problems, in addition to the measurement of intervention effectiveness [40].…”

“…Similarly, uncorrected refractive errors have also been reported as one of the most prevalent eye health problems among immigrant farm workers in the United States [9]. The percentage of Latino immigrants that have never visited a health specialist to have vision screening ranged from 40% [9] to 75% [10]. Furthermore, just 5% reported the use of lenses (spectacles or contact lenses), although up to 20% reported difficulty seeing in specific situations, such as reading or recognizing a friend on the street [9].…”

Visual impairments among immigrants living in Northeast Turkey and their ocular finding differences compared to the local population

“…[1][2][3] These individuals, who generally have a low socioeconomic level in their countries of origin, also have many undiagnosed diseases related to ophthalmology. 3,4 Since immigrants generally work in heavy and arduous jobs, such as construction, cleaning, and farmwork [4][5][6][7][8] , they face environmental risk factors that can be harmful to eye health. 4,8 These are mainly the overexposure to sunlight, chemicals, mechanical devices, plants, garbage and similar foreign bodies, and contact of these materials with the surface of the eye can damage tissue in that area.…”

“…3,4 Since immigrants generally work in heavy and arduous jobs, such as construction, cleaning, and farmwork [4][5][6][7][8] , they face environmental risk factors that can be harmful to eye health. 4,8 These are mainly the overexposure to sunlight, chemicals, mechanical devices, plants, garbage and similar foreign bodies, and contact of these materials with the surface of the eye can damage tissue in that area. 8,9 There are many publications showing that uncorrected refractive errors are higher among immigrants than in the local population.…”