Penetrating ocular injuries in children: visual outcome and prognostic factors

Abstract

Editor, A lthough open-globe injuries are one of the major reasons for visual loss in children, there are little published data analysing the prognostic factors in such injuries according to internationally standardized terminology (Kuhn et al. 2002). This review was undertaken to identify the potential prognostic factors that relate to final visual outcome after penetrating ocular injury in children. The study included 74 patients younger than 14 years admitted to the Edouard Herriot Hospital, Lyon, France, between January 1998 and December 2002. Patients were followed for a median of 22 months (range 18–30 months). Annual incidence was 1.5 per 100 000 inhabitants. Males were affected in 76% of cases. The average age at admission was 7 years. The highest proportion of injuries (61%) occurred at home and sharp objects were the most frequent causative agents (66%). The overall outcome showed 45% of patients attained visual acuity (VA) of 20/40 or better. For statistical analysis, the final clinical outcome was defined as poor if final VA was less than 20/100. The most common preoperative factors were studied using univariate analysis (Table 1). Two variables were predictive of poor visual outcome: (1) initial lens damage (p < 0.001), and (2) intravitreal haemorrhage (p < 0.001).