Ocular Trauma In Children Research Articles

Pediatric Ocular Injuries

Although an ophthalmologist should be consulted for virtually all eye injuries, the first person to see the patient or talk to the parents can be of enormous value in preventing or limiting the sequelae of the injury and subsequent visual loss. This article provides a practical guide to the management of pediatric ocular injuries resulting from trauma and addresses the incidence of ocular trauma in children and the potential for preventing these injuries. Potential Injuries The eye is an anatomically and physiologically complex system that is easily disrupted by sharp or blunt trauma. For this reason, subtle signs of external trauma may indicate serious intraocular injury. The cornea and vitreous are avascular and can be the sites of fulminant infection by even the most indolent of organisms introduced by injury. The crystalline lens is readily dislocated or may opacify after blunt or penetrating trauma. The diaphanous retina is attached to the inner surface of the eye by hydrostatic and osmotic forces. The smallest perforation can lead to total retinal detachment. The highly vascular uvea, which lies beneath the retina, can undergo massive hemorrhage after sharp or blunt trauma. The retinal arteries may occlude after sudden increases in intraocular pressure, which sometimes accompany intraocular or intraorbital hemorrhage.

Profile of pediatric ocular trauma in mid western hilly region of Nepal

Majority of blinding ocular injuries can be prevented. To describe the epidemiology of ocular trauma in children. A retrospective review of medical records of the patients aged below 16 years who attended the Himalaya Eye Hospital, Pokhara with history of ocular injury. Of 6,829 pediatric patients, 554 (8.1 %) had ocular trauma. The ocular trauma was more prevalent (38.1 %) in the age group of 5 - 10 years followed by 10-15 years (16.6 %). The boys (62 % vs 38 %) were more prone to ocular trauma than girls (RR = 1.7 and 95 % CI = 1.41 - 2.02). Of 554 ocular injuries, 32 (5.8 %) were open globe injuries. Sub-conjunctival hemorrhage was the commonest presenting finding in 96 (17.3 %) subjects. Forty-seven (8.5 %) of them attended the hospital after 15 days of injury. Home was the most common place for trauma (n =204, 36.8%), followed by playground (n = 140, 25.3 %). Children between the ages of 5-10 years are most vulnerable to ocular trauma.Home is the commonest place for ocular injury followed by playground. By adopting some common safety factors or by reducing the ocular injury risks factor, ocular trauma can be greatly reduced.