HAZARDS OF THE JOB

How your job can affect your health. This week: Sailors and eye problems

SAILORS are particularly at risk of cataracts and pterygiums (growths that develop across the cornea, the clear dome at the front of the eye), according to Robert Scott, a consultant ophthalmologist at BMI The Priory Hospital.

‘You get more exposure to ultraviolet light at sea, because it’s reflected off water. So it’s important to wear sunglasses.’

Meanwhile, having to bend over patients’ mouths all day can give dentists back problems, particularly of the thoracic (or middle) spine, says North London-based physiotherapist Sammy Margo.

They may get pain and stiffness in the middle back and can develop thoracic kyphosis — curvature of the back.

As the thoracic spine becomes stiff, the neck and lower back can over-compensate, leading to stiffness in those areas, too. Over time, this can lead to arthritis.