Epidemiology of Product-Related Ocular Injuries in the United States From 2001 to 2020

Abstract

BackgroundAlthough ocular injuries are a major cause of ocular morbidity, ocular trauma secondary to consumer-related products is often preventable, and epidemiologic data can highlight potential avenues for intervention. ObjectiveOur aim was to characterize epidemiologic trends in product-related ocular injuries presenting to the emergency department (ED) from 2001 to 2020 based on the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database. MethodsThe NEISS database was reviewed for all ED visits for ocular injuries between 2001 and 2020. Trends in incidences were determined by calculating average annual percent change. ResultsThere were 106,533 ocular injuries reported to the NEISS database, which represented an estimated 4 million national cases. Most injuries occurred during the summer in men (69.2% of cases) younger than 40 years (66.2%). The incidence rates decreased for patients younger than 60 years, but remained steady in those 60 years and older. Although the most common overall cause was home workshop equipment–related products (23.5%), patients younger than 20 years were most likely injured from sports (27.2%), and those 80 years and older experienced injuries due to furniture (24.0%). ConclusionsAlthough the overall incidence of product-related ocular injuries has decreased over the past 2 decades, not all age groups are affected equally. The data showed that the trends in frequency and cause of eye-related ED visits differ depending on the age of the patient and indicated avenues for age-specific interventions.