EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF OCULAR SURFACE DISEASES IN THE POPULATION OF BUKHARA AND NAVOI REGIONS EXPOSED TO NATURAL-CLIMATIC AND TECHNOGENIC FACTORS

Abstract

Relevance. Ocular surface diseases — dry eye disease, pterygium, pinguecula and chronic conjunctivitis — are among the most frequent forms of eye pathology, with a reported prevalence of dry eye ranging from 5% to 50% of the adult population depending on the diagnostic criteria and the environment of residence. According to the TFOS DEWS II and TFOS Lifestyle consensus documents, low air humidity, high temperature, wind, dust and salt aerosols, intense solar radiation and technogenic air pollution are proven and modifiable determinants of these diseases. Bukhara and Navoi regions of Uzbekistan combine a sharply continental arid climate with a considerable industrial load (mining, metallurgical and chemical enterprises), and their population is therefore simultaneously exposed to natural desiccating and technogenic irritating factors. Nevertheless, population-based data on the prevalence and structure of ocular surface diseases in these regions have not yet been obtained, which makes a targeted epidemiological study highly relevant.