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The evaluation of ocular trauma in children between ages 0-12
1Department of Ophthalmology, Ondokuz Mayis University Faculty of Medicine, Samsun.
Insights
Ocular trauma is a major cause of childhood blindness. This study found that prompt treatment significantly improves visual acuity in children with blunt or perforating eye injuries, highlighting the role of socioeconomic factors.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Trauma Surgery
Background:
- Ocular trauma is the primary cause of acquired unilateral blindness in children.
- Understanding the epidemiology and outcomes of pediatric eye injuries is crucial for prevention and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To retrospectively analyze the clinical characteristics, causes, and treatment outcomes of ocular trauma in children.
- To identify factors influencing visual prognosis in pediatric ocular trauma cases.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 138 pediatric patients with ocular trauma treated between November 1983 and October 1996.
- Classification of injuries into blunt and perforating trauma.
- Analysis of demographic data, injury mechanisms, initial findings, treatment, complications, and visual acuities pre- and post-treatment.
Main Results:
- The mean age of patients was 6.96 years; 114 had perforating injuries, 24 had blunt trauma.
- Common causes included wood/stone (blunt) and glass/knife (perforating).
- Visual acuity significantly improved post-treatment for both blunt (37.5% to 79.2%) and perforating (20.2% to 55.3%) injuries.
Conclusions:
- Early treatment of pediatric ocular trauma leads to substantial visual recovery.
- Socioeconomic status, sociocultural factors, and negligence during play are significant contributors to childhood eye injuries.
Abstract:
Ocular trauma is the leading cause of noncongenital unilateral blindness in children under 20 years old. In this study, 138 patients (36 female, 102 male) with ocular trauma between November 1983 and October 1996 were reviewed retrospectively at the Department of Ophthalmology, Ondokuz Mayis University Faculty of Medicine. Twenty-four of these patients were blunt trauma and 114 were perforating eye injury. The mean age of the patients was 6.96+/-3.01 years. Mean post-treatment follow-up was 10.7 months (range 1 to 121 months). Forty-five patients were admitted to the eye clinic within the first 24 hours after trauma. The most frequent finding was hyphema in blunt injury, and corneal laceration in perforating injury. The most frequent cause of injury was wood and stone in blunt trauma and glass and knife in perforating trauma. While the ratio of visual acuities equal to or better than finger counting was 37.5 percent (9 eyes) in blunt trauma cases and 20.2 percent (23 eyes) in perforating trauma cases prior to treatment, it was 79.2 percent (19 eyes) and 55.3 percent (63 eyes), respectively, at last visit examination post-treatment. The most frequent complication was traumatic cataract in blunt trauma and corneal leukoma and anterior synechia in perforating trauma. The results obtained suggested that socioeconomic and sociocultural status and family negligence are important factors in eye injuries in children that occur during games.