Blink of innocence: A study of paediatric ocular trauma at a tertiary eye care centre in South India

Abstract

To assess the prevalence of ocular trauma and extent of visual loss in paediatric patients at a tertiary care eye hospital in South India.A retrospective study was conducted on all children of age group 15 years and younger, of both genders, sustaining ocular injuries and seeking care within the ophthalmology outpatient department of a tertiary eye care hospital. The study spanned for a duration of six months. The demographic profile of the participants was recorded, detailed history was taken, followed by standardised ocular evaluation. Orbital imaging was done where deemed necessary. An eye was considered blind due to trauma if best corrected visual acuity for distance was worse than 3/60 due to trauma. Patients with pre-existing low vision in the affected eye were excluded in the study.50 children were included in the study. The mean age upon initial presentation manifested was 9.8 years. The demographic distribution revealed a predilection for children within the age group of 11 to 15 years, constituting 38% of the sampled populace, with the subsequent demographic tier of 5-10 years encompassing 36%. Noteworthy differentials emerged between rural and urban cohorts, with rural representation at 64% and urban at 36%. The predominant ocular injuries were categorized as 72% closed globe injuries and 18% open globe injuries. Operative interventions were administered to 54% of the cases, while the remaining 46% were subject to conservative therapeutic modalities. Within the subset of closed globe injuries necessitating surgical intervention (36%), specific pathologies included lid tear, canalicular tear, and traumatic cataract.Ocular trauma in paediatric population can lead to permanent blindness and visual handicap. It also affects the social, emotional and psychological development of the child. Most of these injuries can be prevented by supervision of children during play, educating the children, family members and teachers regarding ocular health and hygiene.