Cause Of Monocular Blindness Research Articles

Preparation, physico-biochemical characterization, and proteomic analysis of highly transparent corneal extracellular matrices for lamellar keratoplasty and tissue-engineered cornea construction

Corneal opacity and deformation, which often require corneal transplantation for treatment, are among the leading causes of monocular blindness. To restore corneal clarity and integrity, there is a need for an artificial stroma that not only matches the transparency of donated human cornea but also effectively integrates to the corneal tissue. In this study, a transparent decellularized cornea was successfully developed using the high hydrostatic pressure method with processing conditions optimized for corneal decellularization. Biochemical analyses demonstrated the effective removal of cellular components from the transparent decellularized corneas, while preserving collagen and glycosaminoglycans. Proteome analysis also revealed that core matrisome and matrisome-associated proteins remained following decellularization, similar to the composition observed in untreated corneas. The light transmittance of the transparent decellularized corneas was 86.4 ± 1.5 % in the visible region, comparable to that of donated human corneas. No complications, such as angiogenesis, were observed following interlamellar corneal transplantation in rabbits. The grafts were almost imperceptible immediately following surgery and achieved complete transparency within a few days, becoming indistinguishable even under a microscope. The transparent decellularized cornea presented here has promising potential as a material for application in lamellar keratoplasty.

Visual outcome of penetrating ocular trauma among patients visiting University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital

Ocular trauma, a preventable public health issue, is one of the common causes of ophthalmic morbidity and monocular blindness worldwide. It can occur in almost any setting and at any age in either sex but largely affects males. The mechanism and type of injury, the extent of damage, and the time-lapse between the occurrence of injury and eye care are among the factors that determine the visual outcome of ocular injuries. This study is designed to assess the clinical profile and visual outcome of patients presenting with penetrating ocular injury. A prospective hospital-based study was conducted among penetrating ocular trauma patients who visited UOG tertiary eye care and training center during the study period. All patients with penetrating ocular trauma who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Data on demography, initial and final visual acuity, type of injury, as well as management, were included in a structured questionnaire. The collected data were processed and analysed using Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. The study included 91 cases of penetrating ocular injuries. The majority of the patients 81.2% were males. The male-to-female ratio was 4.3:1. The left eye was involved in 52.7% of the patients. The median age was 20 years, with an IQR of 10–35. The majority (31.9%) of the cases were in the age range of 5–10 years. nearly half of the study participants (45.1%) sustained the injury at home. The commonest source of injury was wooden sticks 49.5%. Six patients were lost to follow-up at three-month visits. Traumatic cataracts (p = 0.001), and poor initial visual acuity were poor prognostic factors. Still ocular injury is a common cause of monocular blindness. We recommend that more has to be done on the primary prevention and control measures.

Clinical Profile and Outcome of Ocular Shotgun Pellet Injury Over 13 Years

Background: Ocular trauma is a major preventable cause of visual morbidity and a leading cause of monocular blindness. Pellet injury is one of the causes of major ocular trauma. It needs extensive medical care and vocational rehabilitation. It has significant impact on global health Methods: This retrospective study was conducted from medical records of 25 patients with ocular pellet gun injury admitted in National Institute of Ophthalmology and hospital, Dhaka from 2011 to 2023. Results: Out of the 25 patients, 13 (52.0%) were more than 25 years age group while the mean age of the patients was 25.5 (±4.6) years. All of the patients were male. Among them 23 (92.0%) had unilateral eye involvement. Pellets caused perforating injuries in 12 (44.4%) eyes while in 9 (33.3%) eyes had closed globe injury. Vitreous hemorrhage in 21 (77.8%) eyes, retinal hemorrhage in 16 (59.3%) eyes, retinal tear in 15 (55.6%) eyes, while few (7.4%) had macular injury and 4 (14.8%) eyes suffered from traumatic optic neuropathy Majority of the eyes (15;55.6%) underwent PPV while 12 (44.4%) eyes were managed by conservative management. At baseline, only one eye (3.7%) had visual acuity 6/60 or better. Sixteen eyes (59.3%) had visual acuity <1/60 and 8 eyes (29.6%) had NPL. Six months after treatment, two eyes (7.4%) had visual acuity 6/60 or better. Visual acuity was <1/60 in 7 eyes (25.9%) while 17 eyes (63.0%) had NPL. Finally, sixteen eyes (59.3%) developed phthisis bulbi while 3 (11.1%) eyes were normal. Conclusion: This study highlights the bad impact of pellet injury to the society due to poor visual and anatomical outcomes despite of immediate surgical intervention. Protective eyewear should be used during wartime and protests and decision makers should ban use of pellet gun on the civilians.

Pattern of eye trauma among pediatric ophthalmic patients in upper and lower Egypt: A prospective two-center medicolegal study.

Ocular trauma is the leading cause of monocular blindness in children. This study aimed to identify and compare pediatric ocular injuries at two national university hospitals: Benha University Hospital (BUH) and South Valley University Hospital (SVUH) while evaluating the predictive utility of the Ocular Trauma Score (OTS) for post-traumatic permanent visual infirmity. This multicenter observational study enrolled children under 18 years at BUH and SVUH Ophthalmology Departments from May 31 to December 31, 2022. Comprehensive medical histories and detailed data on eye trauma were obtained, with each undergoing thorough eye examinations at the initial presentation and during the 6-month follow-up period. The final visual outcome was permanent visual infirmity that was defined as the Best Corrected Visual Acuity in the better eye worse than 3/60 or near vision worse than N6 according to the International Classification of Diseases 11. The study included 120 cases evenly distributed between the two hospitals, with a mean age of 10.03 (±3.30) years, 74.17% male and 51.67% urban residents. Blunt, sharp, and foreign objects were the most common causes (39.17%, 33.33%, and 11.67%, respectively). Closed-globe injuries prevailed at BUH (83.33%) than SVUH (40.0%). Most injuries were accidental and outdoors, with an average interval of 9.93 (±23.57) hours to seek medical care. Lack of education, open-globe injuries, poor initial visual acuity, longer intervals from admission to intervention, and lower OTS were associated with visual impairment.

Ocular injury first aid knowledge among primary school teachers in Qassim province: A cross-sectional study

Ocular injuries, a leading cause of monocular blindness, can be prevented through appropriate protective measures. This study evaluates the current state of knowledge and practices among primary school teachers in Qassim Province, Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the importance of first aid in ocular injury prevention. To assess knowledge and practices regarding ocular injuries and first aid among primary school teachers in Qassim province, Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional study was conducted between September and December 2023 in public schools across the Qassim region in Saudi Arabia. Information was collected using a self-administered questionnaire that assessed teachers’ knowledge and practices about ocular injuries first aid. Out of 986 teachers surveyed (99.6% response rate), 67.3% reported encountering ocular injuries in students. The most common injuries were eye trauma (62.5%) and foreign bodies (15.90%). The study revealed gaps in knowledge and preparedness, particularly in managing chemical burns, lacerations, and scratched eyes. Only 53.5% sought medical help in ocular emergencies, while a notable proportion needed more awareness of appropriate first aid measures. The study reveals a significant gap in Qassim Province primary schoolteachers’ knowledge of ocular injury first aid, necessitating urgent educational interventions to improve the handling of eye injuries. It emphasizes incorporating eye injury first aid into ongoing professional development, ensuring schoolteachers are prepared to effectively manage such potentially vision-threatening situations.

Ocular Trauma Characterization in a Reference Emergency Eye Centre in Colombia (FOSCAL).

Ocular trauma is one of the most important causes of ocular morbidity and inadequate visual acuity in developed and developing countries. In some countries, eye trauma is the leading cause of monocular blindness. Studies conducted in developing countries like Colombia suggest that there is a lack of awareness of preventive measures. In Colombia, there is no countrywide ocular trauma registry. The purpose of the present study is to describe and analyse characteristics of ocular trauma at a tertiary ophthalmology emergency department in Colombia. Patients who consulted or were referred to the ophthalmologic emergency department of FOSCAL due to eye injuries between March 1, 2022, and January 10, 2023, were included in this cross-sectional study. Of 1 957 patients, 2 088 eyes were included. Men comprised 78.5% of the patients, the median age was 36 years, and 75.0% lived in urban areas. The median latency between trauma and ophthalmology consultation was 21.8 hours. Of the eyes, 1 805 (88.4%) had suffered mechanical or mixed (mechanical plus burn) trauma. Of the injuries, 87.5% were unilateral. In terms of the circumstances, 45.9% of injuries occurred during working or educational activities (in 85.6% of these cases, without eye protection), 28.2% in home accidents, and 14.0% in transportation situations. According to the Birmingham Eye Trauma Terminology System (BETT), 1 735 eyes (91.1%) were closed globe injuries, and 49 eyes (2.7%) were open globe injuries. Fifty eyes (2.8%) could not be categorised according to BETT at the initial consultation and were classified as "still to be determined". In the Ocular Trauma Score (OTS), 85.8% were category 5. Of the ocular burn cases, 93.0% were categorised as grade I according to the Roper Hall classification. In line with global literature, a much higher proportion of men than women sought consultation for ocular trauma. The findings suggest a need for improvement in the referral process from institutions with the lowest level of care. Lack of awareness about eye protection is an issue. Surgical exploration or additional tests may be necessary for precise injury classification. We therefore propose adding a "still to be determined" category to the BETT initial classification. These cases may be reclassified later, thus improving the accuracy of OTS calculation.

CLINICAL PROFILE AND VISUAL OUTCOME OF OCULAR INJURIES IN TERTIARY CARE RURAL HOSPITAL

Purpose- 1.To evaluate extent of damage by ocular injury. 2.To find out visual outcome at the end of 2 months after treatment. Material And Methods: A Hospital-based, Prospective, Longitudinal study was conducted at tertiary care hospital. A total of 55 patients with ocular injuries were screened and evaluated. Evaluation was done on the basis of detailed history and examination including visual acuity, anterior segment biomicroscopy, fundus evaluation with 90 D was done. Demographic data, etiology and other significant findings were noted. Inclusion Criteria: 1.Patients with ocular trauma reporting at casualty and ophthalmology OPD were included. 2.Patients irrespective of Age and Gender. Exclusion Criteria: Patients with intrauterine trauma, birth trauma, war trauma, ultrasonic trauma, radiational trauma, stress trauma were not included in the study. Results: 55 patients with ocular injuries were screened out of which: Occurrence of ocular injuries were higher in males 85.45% as compared to females 14.54%. Percentage of ocular injuries were higher in age group more than 40 years 45.45% with male predominance. It was observed that most of the ocular injuries occur while doing domestic work 29.09% as compared to other mode of injuries with contusion trauma 33% being most common type of injury than lamellar laceration 30.90% and penetrating trauma 20%. Left eye 47.27% more commonly affected than right eye 41.81%. Most of the patients presented within 12 hours of injury 54.54% with visual acuity >6/60 43.63%. It was seen that out of 55 patients, 67.27% had normal pupillary reactions,16% had lid tear, 7% had conjunctival foreign body, 5% had conjunctival tear,20% had corneal foreign body, 23.63% had scelerocorneal tear, 9% had hyphema on anterior segment examination and posterior segment findings included retinal hemorrahages 5%. On follow up after 2 months, majority of the treated patients presented with visual acuity of >6/60 89.09%. Conclusion: Ocular injury is one of the commonest causes of monocular blindness. Ocular injury can occur in any age group, but more common in adult age group (>40years). Incidence of ocular trauma in adults can be decreased by proper use of certain safety devices like protective goggles or shield etc, during work. The visual outcome depends upon site and size of injury, extent of ocular damage which are the most important factor and the period between time of injury and institution of the treatment.

A clinical study of childhood penetrating ocular trauma in a tertiary care center in Southern India

Aims: Ocular trauma is one of the major causes of monocular blindness in the pediatric age group, causing significant visual morbidity. The purpose of this study is to identify the causes, types, location of injuries, and clinical features due to ocular trauma in a tertiary care center. Settings and Design: It is a retrospective hospital-based observational study. Materials and Methods: Demographic details of 69 consecutive patients up to 14 years of age who were hospitalized for primary repair of penetrating ocular injuries during March 2017 to March 2019 were documented and evaluated. Results: Fifty-six (81.16%) children were male. The mean age was 8.31 ± 3.96 years. Thirty-one (44.93%) were in the 6–10-yearage group. The most common cause of injury was with wooden stick in 23 cases (33.33%). Full-thickness corneal tear was seen in 52 cases (75.36%). Associated anterior segment involvement included iris prolapse in 34 cases (49.28%), hyphemia in 11 (15.94%), and traumatic cataract in 15 (21.74%), interlamellar corneal foreign body in two cases, and associated full-thickness lid tear involving lid margin in two cases. The posterior segment involvement in the form of vitreous hemorrhage in 19 (27.53%) cases, retinal detachment involving macula in seven cases (10.14%), choroidal detachment in six cases (8.69%), endophthalmitis in five cases (7.25%), and retained intraocular foreign body in three (4.35%). Conclusions: Prevention is always considered superior to the best treatment. Parents should be educated about the devastating complications of ocular trauma, need for supervision, and need for timely referral to the eye care center.

Prevalence and causes of vision impairment in elderly Chinese people living in suburban Shanghai

PurposeTo investigate the current prevalence and causes of moderate and severe visual impairment (MSVI) and blindness in elderly people in suburban Shanghai, China. MethodsA cross-sectional study based on the population was conducted, which involved 5846 individuals (11,692 eyes) aged 65 years or older. Thorough eye examinations were performed to assess the prevalence and leading factors of MSVI (BCVA <20/63 to ≥20/400) and blindness (BCVA <20/400). ResultsThe standardized prevalence of bilateral MSVI and blindness was 3.3% and 0.6%, correspondingly. The standardized prevalence of monocular MSVI and blindness was 7.4% and 2.0%, correspondingly. Cataract (47.9% and 20.7%, correspondingly) and myopic macular degeneration (MMD, 25.7% and 31.1%, correspondingly) were the principal causes of bilateral MSVI and blindness. As for monocular MSVI, the primary causes were cataract (39.4%), age-related macular degeneration (AMD, 16.6%), and MMD (16.6%). The primary causes of monocular blindness were other posterior segment eye diseases (30.1%) and MMD (14.2%). In adults aged 65–74 years, MMD was the foremost factor causing bilateral vision impairment. Conversely, cataract was identified as the primary cause of bilateral and monocular vision impairment among adults aged ≥ 75 years. AMD accounts for a significant proportion of individuals across all age groups. ConclusionsThe significant prevalence of MSVI and blindness among Chinese adults represents a critical public health issue. In addition to cataract, the vision impairment caused by MMD and AMD become an important issue in the elderly Chinese people.

Natamycin Ocular Delivery: Challenges and Advancements in Ocular Therapeutics.

Fungal keratitis, an ocular fungal infection, is one of the leading causes of monocular blindness. Natamycin has long been considered the mainstay drug used for treating fungal keratitis and is the only US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA)-approved drug, commercially available as a topical 5% w/v suspension. Furthermore, ocular fungal infection treatment takes a few weeks to months to recover, and the available marketed antifungal suspensions are associated with poor residence time, limited bioavailability (< 5%) and high dosing frequency as well as minor irritation and discomfort. Despite these challenges, natamycin is still the preferred drug choice for treating fungal keratitis, as it has fewer side effects and less ocular toxicity and is more effective against Fusarium species than other antifungal agents. Several novel therapeutic approaches for the topical delivery of natamycin have been reported to overcome the challenges posed by the conventional dosage forms and to improve ocular bioavailability for the efficient management of fungal keratitis. Current progress in the delivery systems uses approaches aimed at improving the corneal residence time, bioavailability and antifungal potency, thereby reducing the dose and dosing frequency of natamycin. In this review, we discuss the various strategies explored to overcome the challenges present in ocular drug delivery of natamycin and improve its bioavailability for ocular therapeutics.

Management of Pediatric Traumatic Cataract With An Open Globe Injury

Introduction: Traumatic cataract is one of the leading causes of monocular blindness in children. The management of pediatric traumatic cataract is challenging; the growing size of the affected eyes and the risk of amblyopia further complicate things. The timing of cataract removal and IOL implantation remain controversial until today. Case Report: A thirteen-years-old boy came with his left eye punctured by a pencil tip. He came in with a visual acuity of 1/300, a full-thickness 5 mm paracentral corneal laceration and traumatic cataract. The patient went through a two-step surgery. Cataract surgery and IOL implantation was conducted one week following corneal laceration suture. Discussion: Two-step surgery was performed on this patient with consideration being cataract removal performed when the inflammation of the eye was subside and also a more accurate IOL calculation. One study stated, even with 43.4% of patient’s anterior capsule ruptures, it would postponed cataract surgery for 2 days up to 6 months. In this case, a week after first surgery, it revealed anterior capsule rupture and the lens material was touching corneal endothelium. Therefore, lensectomy was performed because it touches the corneal endothelium causing further damage Conclusion: The two-step procedure performed was a preferable surgery for a traumatic cataract in a quiet eye, because it has better potential for visual improvement and IOL calculation. However, since the anterior lens capsule ruptured and the lens material prolapsed into the anterior chamber, it would have been even better to perform lensectomy as an early procedure to prevent inflammation.

STUDY OF EPIDEMIOLOGICAL FEATURES, MICROBIOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OUTCOME OF INFECTIVE KERATITIS

Introduction; Keratitis is an inammations of the cornea and Microbial keratitis is a most common type. Potentially sight threatening ocular infection are known to be the second most signicant cause of monocular blindness rated after cataract in some developing nations in particular. The aetiology of microbial keratitis varies signicantly from country to country. Objective; To determine the epidemiological features, microbiological diagnosis and treatment outcome of infective keratitis. Methods: This hospital based prospective study conducted on 75 patients with clinical diagnosis of corneal ulceration at ophthalmology department, RNT Medical College and Hospital Udaipur, over a period of 18 months. Result: majority of cases were from 41-60age group and most common factor was ocular vegetative trauma. Microorganisms were isolated from 75.86% of the 58 corneas that were cultured. culture proven bacterial keratitis. 58 patients taken for the laboratory investigation by smears and culture. Pure bacterial growth was present in 21(36.2%) pure fungal growth was present in 19 (32.8%) mixed growth was present in 4 (6.9%), 14(24.1% were not showing any culture growth. Out of 75, 19 (25.33%) were viral keratitis

Performance of the Spot Vision Screener in children with Down syndrome and other special needs

Amblyopia is a common cause of monocular blindness and disproportionally affects developmentally delayed children. Photoscreeners have been suggested as a method to detect amblyogenic risk factors (ARF) in children with developmental disabilities who may not be amenable to traditional vision screening methods The Spot Vision Screener is a commonly used photoscreener for detecting ARF and has shown excellent sensitivity and accuracy in the general pediatric population. Spot’s performance in children with Down syndrome and other special needs is not as well substantiated.

Different Patterns of Ocular Trauma Presentation in Nishtar Hospital Multan

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of ocular trauma among gender and different age groups. And to determine various causative factors and the impact of trauma on ocular structures and visual acuity. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in Ophthalmology department of Nishtar Medical University and Hospital, Multan, Pakistan from May 2021 to August 2021. Data were collected from 142 patients. A questionnaire was devised. Data were analyzed using SPSS V26. Results: Out of 142 patients that were admitted in Ophthalmology ward, 36 (25.40%) were female patients and 106 (74.60%) were male patients with mean age of 15.9 years with standard deviation of 14.5. There was no statistically significant difference between male and female patients (p value=0.2). Cornea was most commonly injured structure and mechanical factors were the most common cause of ocular trauma. Out of 142 patients, 4 (2.80%) got just medical management and 138 (97.20%) patients required surgical intervention while they were also given topical and oral antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. Conclusion: Ocular Trauma is most prevalent among children. Males were affected more than females. The cornea was the most commonly affected structure. Ocular Trauma is one of the leading causes of monocular blindness. Most of the ocular traumas were due to some mechanical factors. Keywords: Ocular Trauma, Multan, Nishtar Hospital, South Punjab

A Rare Case Report of Pythium Insidiosum Keratitis in an Immunocompetent Patient

Corneal ulcers are one of the major causes of monocular blindness after cataracts in developing nations and have a varied aetiology. One of the emerging causes of corneal ulcers closely resembling fungi in its morphology is the Pythium insidiosum which is known to infect a variety of animals, but in humans, only a few cases have been reported causing ocular, cutaneous/subcutaneous, vascular, and disseminated infections. This was a case of a 29-year-old male, non agriculturist by occupation who presented to the Ophthalmology Outpatient Department with a history of diminution of vision, redness and watering of the left eye in the last 5 days. On further investigations, he was diagnosed to have a corneal ulcer with P.insidiosum being the aetiological agent. The patient was managed surgically by penetrating keratoplasty and medically by combination therapy consisting of moxifloxacin eyedrops every 4th hour, voriconazole eye drops 2 hourly, natamycin eye drops 2nd hourly, oral fluconazole 150 mg thrice daily for 1 week.

Pediatric Eye Trauma: Epidemiological, Clinical and Therapeutic Aspects at CADESSO in Donka, Guinea

Introduction: Eye trauma represents all morbid lesions on the eyeball due to external violence. In children, they are an important cause of morbidity and the leading cause of monocular blindness. The aim of this study was to determine the sociodemographic, clinical and therapeutic characteristics of eye trauma in children aged 0 to 16 at the Application Centre for the Diploma of Specialized Higher Studies in Ophthalmology (CADESSO) in Donka, Guinea. Patients and Method: This was a prospective longitudinal study with descriptive purposes from January 1 to December 31, 2019 involving 205 children victims of eye trauma. Variables related to sociodemographic, clinical and therapeutic characteristics were studied. Informed consent from patients and/or their parents was sought and obtained. The confidentiality of the files was guaranteed. The data entry was done on EPI-Info version 7 and the analysis using the Stata software. The tables were made in Excel 2010. Pearson’s Chi2 test was used for the comparison of proportions. Results: Pediatric eye trauma accounted for 9.31% of pediatric visits and 30.92% of all eye trauma cases. There was a male predominance with a sex ratio of 1.59. Age groups from 0 - 4 years; 5 - 8 years and 9 - 12 were the most affected with 26.8%, 28.8% and 27.3% respectively and a decrease in the number of cases in the 13 - 16 age group (17.1%). Gambling and sports accidents accounted for 33.2%, followed by domestic accidents for 16.6% and physical injury for 8.2%. Eye contusion was the most represented at 66.3% followed by wounds of the globe 23.9% and burns at 5.9%. One hundred and twenty-six patients had received a determination of visual acuity (VA) at admission; 99 were assessed at discharge and 27 were lost to follow-up. The VA ≥ 5/10th increased from 43.4% at admission to 79.8% after treatment. We had found 67% of vision ≥ 5/10 in eye bruises against 5% in eyeball wounds. Anti-inflammatories (99.5%)) were almost used. The sequelae were dominated by corneal opacities (71.9%). Conclusion: Child eye trauma is a public health problem in Guinea. The best means of care remains prevention, which must be of interest to the child and his environment.

Оpen globe injury in children: epidemiology and predictors of an adverse outcome

Here we aimed to analyse the prevalence, clinical course, and current approaches to the prevention and treatment of open globe injury in children as well as its complications: hyphema, retinal detachment, traumatic uveitis, and endophthalmitis. Currently, children are responsible for the 10-15% of open globe injuries. In developed countries, open globe injury is the leading cause of monocular blindness in children. Open globe injury mainly affects boys (60−70% cases), yet severe injuries are rare, and closed globe injury is the most common type of eye injury. Most injuries are accidental and occur at home in daily life (50−60%), outdoors (20−35%), at school (1−5%), or while playing sports (1−3%). Open globe injury most often affects cornea and is associated with a high risk of early and late complications and poor outcomes. Wearing of protective glasses during sports and active recreation is recognised as an efficient tool for primary prevention of open globe injury in children. The main problems in prevention of complications of open globe injury are the lack of specialised care in low-income countries and the limited awareness of parents.

Ocular Trauma in Pediatric Population

Pediatric ocular trauma is the main challenge for ophthalmologists. It is the most crucial cause of monocular blindness. Thus, it is the main problem in public health management. This study is aimed to determine the clinical characteristics and visual consequences of ocular trauma. The ocular trauma with further complications can result in blindness. An immediate evaluation of the potential damage may be impossible because of vitreous hemorrhage or may be ill-advised because of hyphema or damage to other ocular or orbital structures. Books like Comprehensive Ophthalmology by Dr. A K Khurana and various articles, WHO (World Health Organization) website, etcetera were referred for this review article. Trauma in pediatric age groups is more prevalent than that in adult age groups. The so, the male gender is more prone to such injuri females. This study concludes that trauma to eyes the is the leather dying cause of ocular morbidity, which can be avoided by simple measures. First aid and early treatment can cause a significant decrease in loss of vision due to ocular trauma. Thus, a little awareness in parents and guardians can help decrease loss and blindness in the pediatric population. Eye injury, if occurred in a closed eye, causes contusion or lamellar laceration, and if that happens in an open eye, then it can lead to rupture, perforation, or penetrating injury to the eyeball. Troma to the eyes is the leading cause of ocular morbidity, which simple measures can avoid. First aid and early treatment can cause significant decrease in loss of vision due to ocular trauma. Thus, a little awareness in parents and guardians can help decrease loss and blindness in the pediatric population.

The Causes and Frequency of Monocular and Binocular Blindness in Adults Applying to the Health Committee of a University Hospital in Central Anatolia

Objectives:The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of blindness and the pathologies that cause blindness in the Konya province of Turkey.Materials and Methods:The records of individuals over 18 years of age who applied to the health committee of Meram School of Medicine Hospital between January 2015 and December 2018 were evaluated retrospectively.Results:After reviewing the records of 4,268 applicants, a total of 222 applicants were included in the study (159 patients with monocular blindness, 63 patients with binocular blindness). The most common causes of monocular blindness were optic atrophy (13%), amblyopia (11%), and phthisis bulbi (10%). The most common causes of binocular blindness were retinitis pigmentosa (28%), proliferative diabetic retinopathy (13%), and unoperated cataract (11%). The frequency of monocular blindness was 3.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.2-4.3%) and binocular blindness was 1.5% (95% CI: 1.1-1.9%) in the sample. The frequency of blindness increased with age, with a positive correlation between mean age and blindness (p=0.002). Monocular blind applicants had a significantly lower mean age than binocular blind applicants (48.8±13.3 vs. 55.0±13.1 years, p=0.002) and binocular blind women had a significantly higher mean age than binocular blind men (62.7±16.0 vs. 53.2±11.7 years, p=0.023). The prevalence of monocular and binocular blindness was significantly higher in men than women (p=0.032).Conclusion:The results of this study show that many of the pathologies that cause blindness are preventable or treatable, and that blindness is associated with age.

PATTERN OF OCULAR TRAUMA AND VISUAL OUTCOME IN PATIENTS ATTENDING NATIONAL REFERRAL EYE HOSPITAL OF ERITREA

Background: Ocular trauma has been a significant disabling health problem and a leading cause of visual loss in lower-middle-income countries. These injuries have many diverse costs including human suffering, long-term disabilities, loss of productivity, and economic hardship. This study was aimed to describe the pattern of ocular trauma, its visual outcome, and the overall epidemiology of ocular trauma in all patients presenting to Berhan Eye Hospital, Asmara, Eritrea. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted on ocular trauma patients who presented to Berhan Eye Hospital for the open globe, closed globe, and peri-orbital trauma from September – November 2018 after ethical approval from the Ministry of Health, Eritrea. Data on demography, initial and final visual acuity, type of injury as well as its outcome were collected using U.S Eye Injury Registry checklist. The types of injuries were classified according to Birmingham Eye Trauma Terminology System (BETTS), SPSS Version 22 was used. Results: Ocular trauma accounted for 1.94% of the total patients attending the outpatient department (OPD) and emergency during the studied period. Of the studied 280 participants, 218 (77.9%) patients were below 40 years of age. The male to female ratio was 2.4:1. Closed globe injuries accounted the highest 205 (73.21%) followed by the open globe injuries 75 (26.79%). Home and industrial premises were the main places where ocular injuries occurred in the participants. Conclusions: Ocular trauma affects mainly the younger age group. Blunt objects trauma in the eye are more common in low resource settings. Ocular trauma is an important cause of monocular blindness which can be prevented with early intervention and health promotion.