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[Perforating ocular injuries in children: a retrospective study of 57 cases]
1Service d'Ophtalmologie, Pavillon C, Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Lyon.
Insights
Pediatric open globe injuries, often caused by sharp objects at home, can lead to vision loss. Increased supervision and education are crucial to prevent these eye injuries in children.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Traumatology
- Public Health
Context:
- Open globe injuries represent a significant cause of unilateral vision loss in children.
- Understanding the epidemiology of these injuries is crucial for developing targeted prevention strategies.
Purpose:
- To investigate the causes and outcomes of open eye injuries in pediatric patients.
- To identify common injury mechanisms and locations to inform preventative measures.
Summary:
- A review of 57 pediatric patients (under 14) treated for open globe injuries revealed that sharp or pointed objects, frequently encountered at home, were the primary cause.
- Corneal involvement was most common (41 cases), with traumatic cataract being the most frequent complication. Visual acuity of 0.5 or better was achieved in 27 eyes after a mean 12-month follow-up.
Impact:
- Findings underscore the need for enhanced adult supervision and educational initiatives to reduce the incidence of pediatric eye trauma.
- This research contributes to the understanding of pediatric ocular trauma, aiding in the development of preventative strategies and improved patient outcomes.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the current causes and outcomes of open eye injuries in children.
Patients And Methods:
We reviewed the hospital records of 57 patients under 14 years of age who were treated for open globe injuries at Edouard Herriot Hospital, Lyon, France, between January 1999 and December 2003.
Results:
This review includes 57 patients: 41 males and 16 females. The mean age at admission was 6.8 +/- 3.5 years. The injury involved the right eye in 27 cases and the left eye in 30 cases. Sharp or pointed objects accounted for the majority of injuries. The most common location for a perforating ocular injury to occur was at home. Wounds involved the cornea in 41 cases. There was iris hernia in 21 cases, hyphema in 15 cases, vitreous prolapse in 14 cases, lens damage in 12 cases, and shallow anterior chamber in 11 cases. The most frequent complication was traumatic cataract. Secondary lens removal was performed in 15 cases. Visual acuity was 0.5 or better in 27 of the 57 eyes, with a mean follow-up period of 12 months.
Conclusions:
Perforating ocular injuries are a frequent cause of unilateral visual loss. The highest proportion of injuries occurred at home and sharp objects were the most frequent causative agents. More adequate adult supervision and educational measures are necessary in order to reduce the prevalence of these accidents.
