Occupational ocular accidents amongst Greek endodontists: a national questionnaire survey

Abstract

To investigate amongst Greek endodontists, the incidence of ocular accidents during practice, the circumstances associated with them, the therapeutic measures taken after the accidents, their compliance with the use of eye protection and their eye care behaviour. One hundred and forty-seven endodontists met the inclusion criteria and were invited to participate in the survey. Data were gathered through interviews based on a questionnaire. Participants were asked for personal/professional data, information on ocular accidents in the past 5years, post-accident actions and the type of eye protection used. Their eyesight status and frequency of ocular examination were also recorded. Data were analysed using chi-square test, independent samples t-test and logistic regression. The level of significance was set at P=0.05. The response rate was 84%. Ocular accidents were reported by 73% of the participants. Amalgam and NaOCl were the foreign bodies most frequently associated with ocular accidents. Medical assistance was sought in 16% of the most recent accidents. No permanent eye damage was reported. Regular use of magnification (OR:0.305, 95%CI:0.123-0.754) and years of clinical experience (OR:0.191, 95%CI:0.066-0.551) were significant predictors for the incidence of ocular accidents. Adequate eye protection was utilized by 82% of endodontists. Endodontists with eyesight deficiencies attended more frequently for ocular examination (P=0.018). A high percentage of endodontists experienced ocular accidents. Regular use of magnification and increasing years in practice were associated with a reduced risk of ocular accidents. The majority of endodontists reported using adequate eye protection.