Assessment of Workplace Lighting and Eye Comfort Among Factory Workers in Aba, Abia State

Inadequate workplace lighting is a recognized occupational hazard that contributes to visual fatigue, reduced productivity, and the development of ocular complications among factory workers. This study assesses the quality of workplace lighting and its relationship with ocular discomfort among factory workers in Aba, Abia State, a major industrial city in the South East geopolitical zone. A cross-sectional observational design will be employed, targeting 380 workers across three manufacturing establishments in Aba. Lux meter readings will be taken at different workstations to measure ambient illumination levels, while a validated questionnaire will assess workers' symptoms of visual discomfort, including eye strain, headaches, and blurred vision. Visual acuity tests and external ocular examinations will also be conducted for each participant. The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) standards will be used as benchmarks to evaluate adequacy of lighting at each workstation. Data will be analyzed with SPSS using descriptive and inferential methods, including linear regression to determine the relationship between lighting levels and symptom severity. The study expects to find significant disparities between measured lighting levels and recommended standards, with notable correlations with worker-reported eye discomfort. Findings will be communicated to factory management and the Abia State Ministry of Labour to guide occupational safety upgrades. This research provides practical evidence for occupational optometry practice in Nigeria's South East industrial sector. Keywords: workplace lighting, eye comfort, factory workers, Aba, occupational optometry