Sunlight exposure is a major risk factor for eye disorders. Most outdoor workers cannot avoid sunlight exposure. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between outdoor sunlight exposure and eye disorders in an economically active population.

This study analyzed the 2008–2012 Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey data. Sunlight exposure was categorized as < 5 hours and > 5 hours. We also analyzed the dose-dependent relationship between exposure to sunlight and eye disorders (cataracts, pterygium, and age-related macular degeneration [AMD]) using data from 2010 to 2012 by subdividing the exposure groups into < 2 hours, 2–5 hours, and ≥ 5 hours. Eye disorders were diagnosed by an ophthalmologist. The study participants were stratified by sex, and the results were analyzed using the χ² test and multiple logistic regression analysis.

In the female group, the odds ratio of pterygium in the high-level sunlight exposure group was 1.47 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15–1.89). Regarding AMD, the odds ratios were 1.42 (95% CI: 1.16–1.73), 1.33 (95% CI: 1.03–1.73), and 1.58 (95% CI: 1.15–2.16) in the total, male, and female groups, respectively. Analysis of the dose-response relationship revealed that the odds ratios of pterygium in the high-level sunlight exposure subgroups of the total and female groups were 1.62 (95% CI: 1.25–2.08) and 2.00 (95% CI: 1.39–2.88), respectively.

This study demonstrated a relationship between sunlight exposure and eye disorders in an economically active population. Women were found to be especially vulnerable to pterygium. However, additional prospective studies to clarify the pathophysiology of pterygium are needed.

The risk factors for renal cancer include smoking, obesity, hypertension, and exposure to trichloroethylene. Recent studies have shown that low sunlight exposure increases the risk of developing a range of cancers, including renal cancer. Given that most of the daytime is spent at work, a lack of occupational sunlight exposure can be a risk factor for renal cancer. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between occupational sunlight exposure and the incidence of renal cancer.

This was a university hospital-based case-control study on renal cancer. Of the 706 newly diagnosed patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC), 633 cases were selected; 73 who had no occupational history were excluded. In addition, 633 controls were selected from the general population after 1:1 matching with respect to sex, age (within 5 years), and residential area (constituency-level). Information on sunlight exposure by the occupational group was referred to data from France. To estimate the association between occupational sunlight exposure and the RCC risk, the odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using conditional logistic regression analysis.

Sunlight exposure was divided into quartiles and the risk of RCC was analyzed. The adjusted OR of RCC (OR: 0.664, 95% confidence interval: 0.449–0.983) was significantly lower for the Q4 group than Q1 group but the Q2 and Q3 groups did not show significant results. The risk of RCC tended to decrease with increasing exposure to sunlight (p for trend < 0.028).

Higher occupational sunlight exposure reduces the risk of RCC.