Hyderabad: A study conducted by researchers from the LV Prasad Eye Institute has revealed that many garment factory workers in Hyderabad are facing vision-related problems. They are affecting their work performance.
The research analysed 1,361 employees working in five garment factories located in the western and north-eastern industrial areas of Hyderabad.
Findings of study
The findings showed that 6.9 percent of the workers had problems with distance vision. Among employees aged 40 years and above, 52.4 percent were found to have difficulty with near vision.
The study, titled “Distance and Near Vision Impairment and its Impact on Work Productivity among Garment Industry Workers in Hyderabad, Telangana, India”, was published online in Scientific Reports on June 10. It was carried out by Vinitha Mingi, Dharani Nandyala, Thirupathi Reddy Kumbham and Srinivas Marmamula.
Researchers found that untreated refractive errors were responsible for 90.4 percent of distance vision problems. Difficulty in seeing nearby objects was mainly caused by uncorrected presbyopia. According to the study, most of these vision issues can be corrected with spectacles.
The researchers noted that poor eyesight can affect jobs that require accuracy, including stitching and garment production.
The study used the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) score to measure the effect of vision problems on job performance.
Productivity impact among garment workers in Hyderabad
Workers with distance vision impairment had a productivity impact score of 12.6 compared with 8.8 among workers with normal vision. Those with near vision problems recorded a score of 13.3 while employees with healthy near vision had a score of 7.7.
According to the researchers, blurred vision and age-related near vision problems can lower work efficiency by more than 40 percent. These eye conditions not only affect productivity but also influence everyday activities and overall quality of life.
To improve the situation, the researchers suggested regular eye check-ups at workplaces and timely distribution of spectacles for correcting both distance and near vision. They said providing eye-care services within factories could help workers avoid problems such as loss of wages, lack of time and travel expenses.
