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Traumatic eye injuries from collapsible wire laundry hampers
Adam L Prickett1, Senem Salar, Clement C Chow
1University of Illinois at Chicago Eye and Ear Infirmary, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA.
Pediatrics
|July 4, 2013
Summary
Collapsible laundry hampers pose a serious risk of penetrating eye injuries in children, causing lacerations and retinal damage. Parents should be warned about this household hazard to prevent potential vision loss.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Trauma Surgery
Background:
- Penetrating eye injuries in children are uncommon but can lead to severe visual impairment.
- Household objects can cause significant ocular trauma in pediatric patients.
- Collapsible cloth and wire laundry hampers are common in households with children.
Observation:
- Two pediatric patients presented with penetrating eye injuries from similar collapsible laundry hampers.
- Both injuries involved eye lacerations and retinal complications.
- The injury patterns resembled those typically seen with high-velocity impacts.
Findings:
- A distinct pattern of severe eye injury associated with collapsible laundry hampers has been identified.
- These hampers present a significant, previously unrecognized risk for pediatric eye injuries.
- The injuries sustained were severe, leading to complications usually associated with high-velocity trauma.
Implications:
- There is a non-trivial risk of serious eye injury to children from collapsible laundry hampers.
- Ophthalmologists and pediatricians should be aware of this potential hazard.
- Public health awareness campaigns and product warnings are necessary to mitigate this risk.
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