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Box 1354 St. Louis, MO 63188 Voice: 314-771-0200 Fax: 314-771-0300 To submit news, contact: editor@slfp.com To advertise, contact: advertising@slfp.com Office-Based Jobs Can Aggravate Dry-Eye Condition Affecting More Than 20 Million ST. LOUIS, (PRNewswire), July 15, 2007 - Dry eye is a medical condition that affects more than 20 million people in the United States, yet it remains an often unrecognized on-the-job health issue as many sufferers remain unaware of the condition and its causes. Workplace health and safety is a critical issue for Americans -- with labor time lost due to health reasons representing lost economic output totaling $260 billion per year. The not-for-profit National Women's Health Resource Center (NWHRC) has released the Dry Eye Hot Jobs, the first-ever listing of the nation's top job categories most likely to contribute to dry eye. Office-based jobs such as administrative, finance, and information technology positions top the Hot Jobs list, followed by the categories construction/manufacturing, healthcare/medical, education and retail/sales. The complete listing is included below. The Dry Eye Hot Jobs listing is based on a number of factors known to contribute to dry eye, including prolonged computer use and exposure to dust and allergens. These factors were coupled with data from a nationwide survey of people who suffer from dry eye symptoms, which can include eye dryness, itching, irritation, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, feeling like something is in your eye, and excessive tearing. Survey results revealed that 34 percent of respondents experience dry eye symptoms three or more times per day, and 47 percent regularly feel the need to use over-the-counter eye drops to relieve their symptoms. Despite this, 61 percent of dry eye sufferers had not spoken to a doctor about their symptoms. "If left untreated, dry eye can progress and lead to increased risk of infection and impaired vision," said Marguerite McDonald, MD, FACS, Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island and clinical professor of ophthalmology at Tulane University Health Sciences Center. Dr. McDonald adds, "Artificial tears are often used to manage dry eye symptoms. However, anyone using eye drops for dry eye symptoms on a regular basis without relief should see an eye care professional who may recommend adding a prescription therapy, such as RESTASIS(R), to treat an underlying cause of dry eye." Common factors among those surveyed, all of whom suffer from dry eye symptoms, were computer use and regular exposure to environmental factors known to aggravate dry eye. Respondents were most likely to work in an indoor office setting, with one-fourth spending more than 75 percent of their workday in front of a computer. In addition to computer use, 42 percent of dry eye sufferers surveyed reported on-the-job exposure to particles or dust in the air, 40 percent reported on-the-job wind exposure and 25 percent report prolonged on-the-job driving. "It is important to raise awareness of dry eye, a common health issue that disproportionately affects women," said Elizabeth Battaglino Cahill, RN, executive vice president of the National Women's Health Resource Center (NWHRC). "We encourage women to become more aware of on-the-job conditions that may contribute to dry eye and to talk to their eye care professional if they are experiencing dry eye symptoms." Health care and professional organizations involved in helping raise public awareness for dry eye include Cornea Society, Lupus Foundation of America, Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research, Rosacea Research & Development Institute, Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation, and American College of Rheumatology. About Dry Eye Chronic dry eye occurs when eyes do not produce the right quantity or quality of tears. It is often caused by hormonal changes due to aging and menopause, and can be aggravated by environmental conditions or contact lens use. Certain medications such as antihistamines, antidepressants, diuretics, oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy, as well as thyroid conditions, vitamin A deficiency and diseases such as Parkinson's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, rosacea, sarcoidosis, and Sjogren's syndrome may also cause dry eye. Dry Eye Hot Jobs Listing The complete Dry Eye Hot Jobs listing, including sample jobs for each category, follows: 1. Office jobs such as an executive assistant, customer service representative, accountant, software engineer or IT consultant 2. Construction/Manufacturing jobs such as construction workers, contractors, welders or factory workers 3. Healthcare/Medical jobs such as registered nurses, medical assistants or lab technicians 4. Educational jobs such as professors, researchers or librarians 5. Retail/Sales jobs such as retail workers or salespeople 6. Public Service/Social Service jobs such as social workers, firefighters or police officers 7. Transportation/Delivery jobs such as delivery drivers or truck drivers 8. Agriculture/Landscaping jobs such as farmers, fishermen or landscapers 9. Janitorial/Maintenance jobs such as housekeepers or building maintenance workers 10. 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