Eye injuries in rural Victoria, Australia

Eye injury causes significant morbidity and is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. This study investigates the incidence, spectrum and patterns of eye injury presenting to a rural hospital in Victoria, Australia.

A retrospective review of the medical records of all patients presenting with eye injury to the emergency department of Mildura Base Hospital, Victoria, Australia in year 2004 was conducted. As the emergency department of Mildura Base Hospital also acts as the outpatient department for this hospital, the series included all patients treated for eye injury at Mildura Base Hospital in year 2004, including admissions.

There were 435 patients present to Mildura Base Hospital emergency department for eye injury in 2004, which represented approximately 1% of the population of Mildura. The majority of eye injuries were superficial. Fifty-six (13%) patients required specialist attention. Most patients were male (83%) and were middle-aged. The most common locations where eye injuries took place were residential homes (47%) and workplaces (32%). The most common causes of eye injuries were trade tools and machinery (47%), followed by chemicals (12%) and branches/sticks/twigs (11%). Of particular concern for Mildura is that approximately one-quarter of the patients treated at Mildura Base Hospital for eye injury in 2004 had been treated at Mildura Base Hospital for a separate episode of eye injury in the past.

Eye injuries represent a significant socioeconomic burden. This research contributes to the knowledge required for the design and implementation of effective preventative strategy.