Incidence and pattern of ocular trauma among ophthalmic patients in Menoufia University Hospitals

Abstract

Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and pattern of ocular trauma among ophthalmic patients who presented to Menoufia University Hospitals. Background Ocular trauma is a major preventable cause for monocular morbidity and blindness worldwide. Patients and methods This was a prospective study estimating patients who sustained ocular trauma within a 1-year period (January 2016–December 2016); the association between variables was checked by the χ2 test. Results A total of 1138 eyes of 1129 patients had sustained ocular trauma in a 1-year period (2016). The incidence of ocular trauma was 6.1%, and hospitalized patients accounted for 11.2%. The mean age of the patients was 22.4 ± 19.2 years; 69.1% were male patients and 30.9% were female patients, with a male to female ratio of 2.2: 1. The majority of injuries were adnexal injuries (42.1%) followed by globe injuries (30.6%), ocular surface foreign body (25.2%), ocular wall foreign body (0.4%), chemical injuries (0.4%) and radiation injuries, that is, 'photokeratitis' (1.2%). In globe injuries, 67 (19.3%) were open globe (52 eyes with rupture globe, 13 eyes with penetrating injury, two eyes with intraocular foreign body) and 281 (80.7%) were closed globe [32 (11.4%) were contusion, whereas 249 (88.6%) were lamellar laceration]. The most common eye injury was periocular ecchymosis and edema (40%). Conclusion Ocular trauma is a major problem for monocular morbidity and blindness. Students and workers who were involved in street activities and workplaces were the most affected.