Ocular Chemical Injury Research Articles

Assessment of Health Science Students' Knowledge of Ocular Chemical Injuries and Proper Immediate Action: A Cross-Sectional Study at King Khalid University.

Introduction Chemical injuries are considered to be one of the true ocular emergencies that require years of visual rehabilitation in addition to immediate medical intervention to maintain eyesight. Thus, it is imperative that medical professionals and the general public are both aware of the damage and how to treat it. Objective The current study's objectives were to determine what influences students' understanding of ocular first aid in trauma scenarios and to evaluate the degree of knowledge among health university students at King Khalid University. Methodology Between April 25, 2024, and June 25, 2024, King Khalid University of Saudi Arabia hosted a descriptive cross-sectional study aimed at medical students. Following a thorough examination of the literature and consultation with an expert, the study researchers created an online questionnaire to gather the data. Students' academic and demographic information, their source of information, and their understanding of ocular chemical damage were all included in the final questionnaire. Using social media sites, the completed questionnaire was posted online until no further responses could be found. Results A total of 358 health science students completed the study survey; their ages ranged from 18 to 30 years, with a mean age of 23.5±2.4 years. A total of 55 (15.4%) students were in their pre-clinical years, 199 (55.6%) were in their clinical years, and 104 (29.1%) were medical interns. A total of 152 (42.5%) students had an overall good knowledge of ocular chemical injuries, while most of them (57.5%; 206) had an overall poor knowledge level. As for students' sources of information, the most reported were their study curricula (46.9%), internet (22.4%), doctors (11.8%), family (9.8%), and friends (8.7%), while 1.2% had no specific source. Males and being in the clinical years were significantly associated with high knowledge (p<0.05). Conclusion According to the study, male students in clinical study years had the greatest level of understanding regarding eye chemical injury and related first aid, while health science students had the least amount of information overall.

Severe ocular chemical injury in the UK: a British Ophthalmological Surveillance Unit study.

Severe ocular chemical injury is a potentially devastating condition which most commonly affects men of working age. Workplace injuries previously accounted for the majority of incidents, but there has been a recent increase in assaults involving corrosive substances throughout the UK. The objectives of this study were to determine the incidence and demographics of severe ocular chemical injury and describe current surgical management practices. Cases were prospectively ascertained through the British Ophthalmological Surveillance Unit monthly reporting system during 2019-21. In total, 20 cases involving 29 eyes met the inclusion criteria. The reported incidence of severe ocular chemical injury during the pre-pandemic period of the study was 0.24 per million. Cases due to alleged assault have become more common than workplace injuries. A total of 81% patients had persistent complications at 6 months requiring ongoing treatment, and 60% patients required surgical intervention. Although there are limitations with the case ascertainment methods, severe ocular chemical injury remains rare within the UK. There has been a proportionate increase in cases related to alleged assault compared with previous similar studies. Amniotic membrane grafting remains the most commonly performed surgical procedure in these patients.

Early and Intensive Management of Chemical Eye Injuries: Case Series

Chemical injuries of the eyes are true ophthalmic emergencies causing significant visual morbidities. They require urgent and immediate assessment and intervention. They are more common in young adults either due to accidental causes or due to criminal assaults. They severely damage the ocular structures; surface epithelium, cornea, conjunctiva, limbal stem cells and can cause permanent unilateral or bilateral vision loss. In this article, we are trying to emphasis on the importance of initiating treatment in the early phase of ocular chemical injury and also emphasizing on extent of chemical ocular injuries, their severity and their varied outcomes through two different types of cases; one with good visual recovery with early initiation of treatment and the other developing complications in spite of being initiating treatment in early phase.

Management of symblepharon with Gore-tex as a novel treatment option for ocular chemical burns.

To assess the clinical outcomes of symblepharon release in patients with ocular surface chemical injury using Gore-Tex as a novel treatment option. This was a retrospective analysis of 23 eyes of 22 chemical injury patients done during a period of January 2014 to December 2021 at a tertiary eye care centre in South India. All patients underwent symblepharon lysis along with Gore-Tex application over the sclera with minimum 1 year follow up. The patients were assessed for demographic details, visual acuity, intraocular pressure, anterior and posterior segment details, photographic documentation, preoperative diagnosis, previous surgical details in recurrent cases, surgical procedures, final visual acuity, surgical outcomes, and complications. The clinical outcomes were assessed and outcomes were defined as success, partial success, or failure. The median age was 17 years (IQR, 12-39 years). Among them 10 eyes with symblepharon had grade 3 length, 12 eyes grade 3 width and 12 eyes had grade 3 loss of palisades of Vogt. The success was achieved in 52.2% of the patients; partial success in 34.8% and 13.3% had failure. The mean duration of recurrence was 6.75 ± 3.6 months. Failure was noted in young patients with mean age 9.75years and with grade 3c symblepharon. There was no sight threatening complications noted. The study showed very good results with Gore-Tex as a novel treatment option for chemical injury patient with symblepharon formation. It can be easily employed to prevent the symblepharon recurrence of various ocular surface disorders.

The Importance of Initial Management in Ocular Chemical Burn: A Case Series

Introduction : Ocular chemical injuries are true emergency which requires immediate intervention. Delayed management may result in severe eye injuries. This report aims to describe the effectivity of initial management and medical treatment of ocular chemical burns.&#x0D; Case Illustration : We reported four cases of ocular chemical injuries due to alkaline, acidic, and unspecified chemical compound. All subjects were men, aged 30 to 50 years old. They had injuries at work and none of them used eyewear protector. Each was brought to emergency unit in less than 2 hours. They were given initial timely irrigation until pH neutralized. Ocular damages were evaluated using Roper-Hall Classification, three cases were Roper-Hall 2 and other was Roper-Hall 3. After initial management, all cases were treated with medical treatment and showed significant improvement. After 6 months follow up, there weren’t any long-term sequelae in all subjects.&#x0D; Discussion : Serious eye damage results from strongly alkaline or acidic compounds. Most critical factor is timely delivery of irrigating fluid. Irrigation should ideally be performed with isotonic saline or lactate ringer solution and continued until the pH neutralized to a physiological level. Any method of irrigating the eye is preferable than delay in elimination of the destructive chemical. Medical treatments in acute management of severe ocular chemical burns are anti-inflammatory therapy, halting epithelial and stromal breakdown, promoting re-epithelialization and promoting corneal stromal healing.&#x0D; Conclusion : Timely irrigation of the eye effectively reduces severity of chemical burns, reduces need for surgical intervention, and improves final visual acuity if combined with medical treatment in golden period.

A responsive hydrogel modulates innate immune cascade fibrosis to promote ocular surface reconstruction after chemical injury

Following an ocular chemical injury, the release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) triggers an innate immune cascade fibrotic effect involving macrophages (Mø), which limits corneal repair. However, the interplay and mechanisms between NETs and macrophages, as well as the coordination between the innate immunity and corneal repair, remain challenging issues. Using a co-culture system, we report that chemical stimulation exacerbates the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within the polymorphonuclear neutrophils, leading to NET formation and the activation of M2 macrophages, ultimately inducing pathological fibrosis of the ocular surface through the IL-10/STAT3/TGF-β1/Smad2 axis. Inspired by the locally formed acidic microenvironment mediated by innate acute inflammatory stimulation, we further integrate sericin with oxidized chitosan nanoparticles loaded with black phosphorus quantum dots (BPQDs) using Schiff base chemistry to construct a functional pH-responsive hydrogel. Following corneal injury, the hydrogel selectively releases BPQDs in response to the acidic environment, inhibiting the innate immune cascade fibrosis triggered by the PMN-ROS-NETs. Thus, corneal pathological fibrosis is alleviated and reshaping of the ocular surface takes place. These results represent a refinement of the mechanism of inherent immune effector cell interactions, and provide new research ideas for the construction of nano biomaterials that regulate pathological fibrosis.

Ocular Chemical Injuries and Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency (LSCD): An Update on Management.

Ocular Chemical Injuries and Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency (LSCD): An Update on Management.

Visual Outcomes &amp; Associated Factors in Patients with Chemical Injury in a Tertiary Eye Care Hospital in Bangladesh

Purpose: To study the clinical profile &amp; visual outcome of ocular chemical injuries. Methods: This observational retrospective study was performed on 50 patients with chemical injuries attending in cornea clinic from January 2022 to December 2022 in a tertiary Eye Institute &amp; Hospital in Bangladesh. A detailed history of the patients and history of presenting complaints was taken. An ocular examination was performed. Visual acuity was recorded by using Snellen’s test-type Chart. A thorough examination was carried out on slit-lamp, direct &amp; indirect ophthalmoscopes. Clinical grading was done by Roper Hall Classification. Other’s ocular investigations were done when required. Results: In the present study, 50 patients were included of which 60% (30) were male and 40% (20) were females. In the present study, 11-20 years of age patients are 18(36%) &amp; 0-10 years of age are 12(24%).Most of the cases were day labor 16(32%), followed by students12( 24%) ,housewife 4(8%) &amp; others are 18 (36%). As per the Roper Hall Classification, most of the eyes sustained grade II chemical injury at 36% (30 eyes); followed by grade IV at 26%: grade III was 20%, and grade I was 18%. The visual acuity at presentation, 17(34%) patients had visual acuity 6/12- 6/24. On the other hand, 14(28%) have a counting finger. Visual acuity at the final follow-up, 19(38%) patients had visual acuity 6/12- 6/24. On the other hand, 16(32%) had a counting finger. The management of chemical injury, AMG + BCL was done on 54% of patients &amp; conservative management was done on 32% of patients. Conclusion: The incidence was more in the younger working population, with a majority of injuries occurring in less than 30 years of age. The severity of chemical burn belonging to grade II and grade IV injuries. Henceforth the visual outcome was better and complications were much less after immediate management. Saline wash &amp; Amniotic membrane Grafting(AMG) with fresh amniotic membrane increases patient comfort and reduces inflammation. Public health initiatives are critical to prevent chemical injuries in mitigating the poor visual prognosis. J.Natl.Inst.Ophthalmol.2023;6(1): 27-31

Community-Level Awareness of Proper Immediate Steps Regarding Ocular Chemical Injury in Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia.

Background An ocular chemical injury is a critical medical condition that results in harm to many components within the orbit, including the epithelium, cornea, and anterior segment. Most accidents tend to transpire among individuals in younger age groups, primarily as a result of their exposure to hazardous conditions either within their domestic environment or in occupational settings. Objective The objective of this study is to evaluate the extent of community awareness of chemical eye injuries and the appropriate measures for urgent care, focusing on different age groups within the Al-Qassim region. Methods A cross-sectional studywas utilized in this research, employing data from a sample of 384 individuals residing in Qassim. The participants completed a self-administered questionnaire, which was administered online and ensured anonymity. The questionnaire used in this study had been previously validated. Results The study included a total of 384 participants who were not affiliated with the medical field, selected from the Al-Qassim region. Most of the respondents demonstrated fairly good level of awareness regarding ocular chemical injury (69%). There was a statistically significant relationship between age and the level of awareness (p-value=0.00001<0.05). Most participants believed that ocular chemical injury could cause ocular complications (93.8%) and identified chloride and detergents (92.2%) as the main materials that cause ocular injuries. Conclusion Overall summary, this study's findings suggest that there exists a moderate degree of knowledge among the public regarding chemical injuries to the eye and the appropriate rapid response to such injuries. Majority of the community members were aware that ocular chemical injury can cause ocular complications, blindness, perforation, scarring, and cataracts. Additionally, chloride and detergents were found to be the most common causes of ocular injuries among the population. The study found the most common immediate action when exposed to ocular chemical injury was to irrigate the eye with large amount of water. The study established a statistically significant association between the age and awareness about ocular chemical injury; thus, age appears to be a key factor influencing the amount of awareness seen.

Community-Level Awareness of Proper Immediate Steps for Ocular Chemical Injury in Saudi Arabia.

The human eyes are the most vital sensory organ. Eye injury is the main factor leading to monocular blindness. There is a lack of understanding in the Saudi community regarding the appropriate response to a chemical injury to the eyes. To provide accurate and clear medical information about ocular chemical damage, it is crucial to identify areas where healthcare professionals fall short. To address the gaps in critical knowledge, this study aimed to focus on the Saudi Arabian community to determine if healthcare professionals have fulfilled their responsibility as health promoters in providing education on eye emergencies. We examined the immediate reaction of the study participants to evaluate the community's awareness of chemical eye injuries and immediate management strategies. This study aimed to assess and evaluate the general population's knowledge and awareness of immediate management steps following an ocular chemical injury in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional design was employed. A random sampling method was used to select 2,295 individuals from the Saudi community. Participants completed an electronic closed-ended, pre-validated, anonymous, and self-administered questionnaire. The majority of the respondents were females (71.6%) and Saudis (94.5%) aged 18 to 30 years (46.6%). The majority of the respondents correctly stated that eye injuries could cause complications (89.6%) and that common substances that could result in eye injuries are chloride and detergents (93.3%) and battery materials (73.1%). Furthermore, complications after eye injuries could include blindness (80.6%), perforation (44.5%), and scar formation (38.1%). A substantial proportion of the respondents indicated that water should be used to treat chemical injuries due to acidic and alkaline substances (68.1%). However, only a small proportion of the respondents correctly answered that the eyes should be washed for 30 minutes or more after an ocular injury (7.9%). The overall knowledge levels on injury mechanisms and complications were generally high with a lack of knowledge regarding immediate management for injuries. Therefore, there is a need for targeted educational interventions and training programs to enhance the general public's understanding of immediate management strategies for chemical eye injuries.

Ocular Chemical Injuries in Western Saudi Arabia: A Study of the Public's Level of Knowledge and Experience.

Chemical burns are potentially blinding eye injuries and are serious ocular emergencies that necessitate prompt evaluation and treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and experience of the current practice of ocular chemical injuries among the general population in western Saudi Arabia. An electronic self-administrated structured survey was distributed among citizens using social media channels in November 2022. This survey includes 929 participants from western Saudi Arabia. Most of the participants were more than 20 years old (82.7%), while females represented 82.7%. Most participants reported an inadequate level of awareness about previous hearing of ocular chemical injury terms compared with their level of knowledge, in which the majority (56.62%) showed a good level of understanding. Female participants, participants 20 years old or older, and Saudis corresponded significantly with a good level of knowledge (p-values <0.001, <0.00, and 0.025, respectively). This study showed a fair level of knowledge compared to awareness, which can be improved by further national studies in the Saudi region. We recommend expanding the studies' findings and developing suitable interventions, like health awareness campaigns about ocular chemical damage and prompt corrective measures.

Using PROKERA® to treat ocular chemical injury caused by animal health disinfectant

&lt;p&gt;OMNICIDE&amp;reg;是一種廣效型動物消毒劑，主要成分包含戊二醛(glutaraldehyde)以及苯扎氯銨(cocobenzyl dimethyl ammonium chloride)。動物消毒劑引起的眼表化學性灼傷在過往的文獻中並未被提及過。在此，我們報告一位57歲的男性，因為誤點動物消毒劑至右眼，造成大範圍結膜水腫，角膜上皮缺損，以及輪狀部缺血，符合Dua分類的第三級。除了傳統的藥物治療外，我們利用角膜生物敷料PROKERA&amp;reg;來穩定眼表發炎反應及促進角膜上皮生長。在治療之後的追蹤過程，角膜上皮完全恢復且患者的視力亦獲得改善。&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;OMNICIDE&amp;reg; is a broad-spectrum animal health disinfectant containing glutaral-dehyde and cocobenzyl dimethyl ammonium chloride. Ocular chemical injury caused by animal health disinfectant has never been described in the previous literature. Herein, we presented a 57-year-old man who mis-instilled animal health disinfectant into his right eye. Extensive conjunctival chemosis, large corneal epithelial defect, and limbal ischemia were noted in his right eye with Dua classification grade III. In addition to the conventional medical therapy, we used the biologic corneal bandage device, PROKERA&amp;reg;, to stabilize the ocular surface inflammation and promote corneal re-epithelialization. The corneal epithelial defect healed completely, and the visual acuity improved and remained stable during the follow-up period.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

E-PIX: An enhanced grading for acute ocular burns.

An enhanced online and manual grading system, based on the I's and E's, for acute ocular chemical injuries is being proposed. E-PIX is designed to be an online/manual grading system that includes all the parameters that adversely affect the outcome of acute chemical injuries. The importance of addressing the I's and E's in chemical burns cannot be underestimated. These include the need for the documentation and management of epithelial defect (E), intraocular pressure (P) (IOP), ischemia (scleral) (I), and exposure (X) (acronym - E-PIX). Epithelial defect includes that involving the limbus (L), along with conjunctival (C), corneal (K), and tarsal (T). These additional parameters are graded and represented as an annotation along with the limbal grade providing a comprehensive grading for the injury. A manual entry sheet and a freely accessible online grade generator are a part of the system. The proposed enhanced grading offers a final annotation that provides a clear understanding of all factors that can lead to vision-threatening complications ensuring their assessment and hence subsequently their addressal to improve outcomes, if abnormal. The prognostication continues to be based on the grade of limbal involvement. The additional annotations impact prognosis and outcome if not addressed. Including the laterality of injury provides, in addition, a futuristic understanding of available options. The grade generator retains the flexibility to be dynamic with changes reflecting upon the healing process in the acute stage. The proposed system aims to provide primary and tertiary caregivers alike with a uniform grading system.

Epidemiology and etiology of chemical ocular injury: A brief review.

Chemical ocular injury is one of the common ophthalmologic emergencies that can cause vision loss and serious complications. Despite all protective measures, it continues to be a serious public health problem, especially in young male patients. Although it is known that injuries occur most frequently in the workplace and in young male patients, there is a variable frequency and distribution in different regions around the world. In addition, with the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, there are changing trends in ocular chemical injuries. This review aims to specify an update on the epidemiological and etiological features of ocular chemical injuries.

The association between altered intestinal microbiome, impaired systemic and ocular surface immunity, and impaired wound healing response after corneal alkaline-chemical injury in diabetic mice.

We aim to investigate the effect of sustained hyperglycemia on corneal epithelial wound healing, ocular surface and systemic immune response, and microbiome indices in diabetic mice compared to controls after alkaline chemical injury of the eye. Corneal alkaline injury was induced in the right eye of Ins2Akita (Akita) mice and wild-type mice. The groups were observed at baseline and subsequently days 0, 3, and 7 after injury. Corneal re-epithelialization was observed under slit lamp with fluorescein staining using a cobalt blue light filter. Enucleated cornea specimens were compared at baseline and after injury for changes in cornea thickness under hematoxylin and eosin staining. Tear cytokine and growth factor levels were measured using protein microarray assay and compared between groups and time points. Flow cytometry was conducted on peripheral blood and ocular surface samples to determine CD3+CD4+ cell count. Fecal samples were collected, and gut microbiota composition and diversity pattern were measured using shotgun sequencing. Akita mice had significantly delayed corneal wound healing compared to controls. This was associated with a reduction in tear levels of vascular endothelial growth factor A, angiopoietin 2, and insulin growth factor 1 on days 0, 3, and 7 after injury. Furthermore, there was a distinct lack of upregulation of peripheral blood and ocular surface CD3+CD4+ cell counts in response to injury in Akita mice compared to controls. This was associated with a reduction in intestinal microbiome diversity indices in Akita mice compared to controls after injury. Specifically, there was a lower abundance of Firmicutes bacterium M10-2 in Akita mice compared to controls after injury. In diabetic mice, impaired cornea wound healing was associated with an inability to mount systemic and local immune response to ocular chemical injury. Baseline and post-injury differences in intestinal microbial diversity and abundance patterns between diabetic mice and controls may potentially play a role in this altered response.

Clinical Profile of Ocular Chemical Injuries in a Tertiary Care Centre of Kolar, Karnataka, India: A Retrospective Study

Introduction: Ocular chemical injury is a true ophthalmic emergency which needs immediate assessment and management. They cause extensive damage to the ocular surface resulting in permanent visual impairment. The majority of victims are young and the exposure occurs at home, work place and with assaults. Aim: To analyse the clinical characteristics, grade and visual outcome in patients with ocular chemical injuries. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on patients with chemical eye injuries who presented at Ophthalmology Department in Kolar tertiary care centre in the past five years. Medical records of 127 patients who presented from January 2017 to December 2021 with chemical eye injuries were assessed for age, gender, history of the mode of injury, pattern and grade of damage, visual outcome and treatment methods during the acute phase and at one month follow-up. Paired t-test and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with post-hoc test was the statistical method used for analysis. Results: Out of 127 chemical injury cases, 104 (81.9%) were males and 23 (18.1%) were females. The incidence of chemical injury was found to be 51 (40.2%) in the age group of 31-45 years and 38 (29.9%) in 15-30 years with 74 (58.3%) cases affected by alkali and 27 (21.3%) cases by acids and 26 (20.4%) unknown injury. A total of 43 (34%) cases had grade I, 75 (59%) had grade II and 9 (7%) had grade III injury and the common clinical finding was conjunctival congestion in 147 (93.6%) and epithelial defect in 107 (68.1%). Significant improvement in the visual acuity was observed after the initial management and subsequently at one month follow-up (p-value&lt;0.001). Conclusion: Male dominance and fields and workplace injuries were most common in the study. Initiation of immediate irrigation with tap water and early reporting to the hospital can reduce serious complications with early restoration of vision. It also emphasises the promotion of necessary protective measures to avoid workplace based accidental injuries.

Lateral Canthotomy/Cantholysis Performance Gap Analysis and Training Recommendations for Expeditionary Physicians.

Preservation of life, preservation of limb, and preservation of eyesight are the priorities for military medical personnel when attending to casualties. The incidences of eye injuries in modern warfare have increased significantly, despite personal eye equipment for service members. Serious eye injuries are often overlooked or discovered in a delayed fashion because they accompany other life- and limb-threatening injuries, which are assigned a higher priority. Prehospital military ocular trauma care is to shield the eye and evacuate the casualty to definitive ophthalmic care as soon as possible, with exceptions for treatment of ocular chemical injury and orbital compartment syndrome. Retrospective analysis of eye injuries in recent conflicts identified gaps in clinical capabilities with up to 96% of ocular injuries being suboptimally managed. Ocular compartment syndrome (OCS) is a complication associated with orbital hemorrhage, where significant morbidity occurs as a result of increasing intracompartment pressure. The ischemic tolerance of the retina and optic nerve is approximately 90 minutes, so OCS must be rapidly diagnosed and aggressively treated through lateral canthotomy/cantholysis (LC/C) to prevent permanent vision loss. LC/C procedures consist of using hemostats to crush the lateral canthal fold and cutting the lateral canthal tendon from the inferior crus to relieve increasing intracompartment pressure. The purpose of this study was to examine the baseline capabilities of military physicians and surgeons to accurately and independently perform the LC/C procedures and identify performance gaps that could be closed through focused professional development activities. This study received institutional review board approval at our institution. A total of 60 subjects voluntarily participated in the study from emergency medicine (15), general surgery (28), and ophthalmology (17). All procedural assessments were performed 1:1 by expert faculty ocular trauma specialists using a high-reliability eye trauma simulator (Sonalysts, Inc.). The competency standard was set at independent and accurate completion of all procedural components and all critical procedural components. Analyses were performed using descriptive statistics and analysis of variance to examine between-group differences (P < 0.05). There was a significant difference between the total score performance and the critical score performance for the three groups (P < 0.001). Outcomes indicate a significant linear relationship between the expertise level of the clinical provider and the procedural performance of LC/C. Outcomes demonstrate the baseline surgical capabilities of the general surgeons transferred to LC/C performance; however, they were unfamiliar with the anatomy and the procedural techniques and requirements. The group of emergency medicine participants demonstrated performance gaps not only in the same areas as the general surgeons but also in their baseline surgical abilities. This suggests that different professional development activities are necessary for surgeons and physicians tasked with performing LC/V procedures. We identified significant performance gaps among emergency medicine physicians, general surgeons, and ophthalmologists in their abilities to recognize and treat OCS through LC/C procedures. These sight-saving procedures are a critical competency for forward-situated clinicians in expeditionary contexts. We identified the need for targeted approaches to professional development for closing the performance gaps for both emergency medicine physicians and general surgeons.

Community-level awareness of proper immediate steps regarding ocular chemical injury in the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia

BackgroundAlthough the eyes represent 0.1% of the total human body, they are exposed to many injuries, some of which may cause blindness. Ocular chemical injury is a true ocular emergency requiring immediate assessment and initiation of treatment. The present study targeted the general population in the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia, to evaluate knowledge of chemical injuries to the eye and the immediate management of the injury. Materials and methodsA cross-sectional design was employed using a convenience sample of 536 residents of the Jazan region who completed an online, self-administered, anonymous, and pre-validated questionnaire. ResultsMost of the respondents were 18–30 years of age (66.0%), and 274 (51.1%) were female. Respondents had an average score of 7.70 (standard deviation: 1.78) out of a total score of 16, indicating an overall lack of knowledge of ocular chemical burns. The majority (95.1%) agreed that ocular complications could result from ocular chemical injury. Regarding the first action in ocular chemical injuries, 317 (59.1%) thought that eye irrigation with a large amount of water, 155 (28.9%) chose to go to the emergency department, 40 (7.5%) chose irrigation of the eye with a small amount of water, 13 (2.4%) chose using eye drops, and 11 (2.1%) chose to cover the eye. ConclusionThe knowledge of ocular chemical burns is lacking in the general population of the Jazan region. There are several knowledge gaps, some of which are serious, necessitating rigorous efforts to correct them through educational programs at the community level.

Perfluorodecalin-based oxygenated emulsion as a topical treatment for chemical burn to the eye

Chemical injuries to the eye are emergencies with limited acute treatment options other than prompt irrigation and can cause permanent vision loss. We developed a perfluorodecalin-based supersaturated oxygen emulsion (SSOE) to topically deliver high concentration of oxygen to the eye. SSOE is manufactured in hyperbaric conditions and stored in a ready-to-use canister. Upon dispensation, SSOE rapidly raises partial oxygen pressure 3 times over atmospheric level. SSOE is biocompatible with human corneal cells and safe on mouse eyes in vivo. A single topical application of SSOE to the eye after alkali injury significantly promotes corneal epithelial wound healing, decreases anterior chamber exudation, and reduces optical opacity and cataract formation in mice. SSOE treatment reduces intraocular hypoxia, cell death, leukocyte infiltration, production of inflammatory mediators, and hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha signaling, thus hastening recovery of normal tissue integrity during the wound healing process. Here, we show that SSOE is an effective topical therapeutic in the acute treatment of ocular chemical injuries.

Pediatric Chemical and Thermal Ocular Injuries Requiring Hospitalization in South China

ABSTRACT Purpose To study the clinical characteristics of children with severe ocular chemical or thermal injuries in South China and evaluate prognostic factors affecting final visual acuity (VA). Methods A five-year retrospective study was conducted on pediatric patients who were first admitted to Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center with severe chemical or thermal ocular injuries. Data collected and analyzed comprised socioeconomic and socio-demographic data, details regarding their injury, subsequent treatment, and visual outcomes. Results Of the 105 children (121 eyes), severe ocular chemical and thermal injuries in South China were prevalent in preschool children (n = 51, 58.1%), predominantly male (n = 82, 78.1%), and primarily children in rural areas (n = 98, 93.3%). Seventy-one eyes (78.9%) had a final VA <0.05, and multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that initial VA after injury (OR = 0.47), the maternal education level (OR = 0.23), and monthly household income (OR = 0.31) were significantly associated with final VA. Conclusion Final VA was associated with the initial VA, the maternal level of education, and family income; necessitating an increased provision of public education to children from low-income families, especially in rural areas.