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A survey of severe eye injuries in children
P A DeRespinis1, A R Caputo, P M Fiore
1Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital, New York, NY.
Insights
Pediatric ocular trauma is a significant cause of eye injury hospitalizations, with hyphema being the most common diagnosis. Sports and home accidents are leading causes for older and younger children, respectively.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Trauma
- Public Health
Background:
- Pediatric ocular injuries represent a notable cause of hospital admissions.
- Trauma accounts for a significant percentage of pediatric eye-related hospitalizations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the incidence, causes, and diagnoses of pediatric ocular trauma requiring hospitalization.
- To identify age-specific patterns in pediatric eye injuries.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of medical records for 258 children admitted for ocular injuries.
- Data collected over a 3.5-year period at United Hospitals Medical Center.
- Analysis of injury causes, diagnoses, and patient demographics.
Main Results:
- Ocular trauma accounted for 14.85% of pediatric eye admissions (258 cases).
- Hyphema was the most frequent diagnosis; balls, fists, and sticks were common causes.
- Peak injury incidence occurred in children aged 11-15 years (31%).
- Sports-related injuries predominated in children over 10, while home injuries were more common in younger children.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric ocular trauma is a substantial cause of hospital admissions, second only to strabismus.
- Understanding injury mechanisms and age-related patterns is crucial for prevention strategies.
- Targeted interventions for sports safety and home safety are needed to reduce pediatric eye injuries.
Abstract:
We reviewed the medical records of 258 children from newborn to 20 years of age who had ocular injuries severe enough to warrant admission to United Hospitals Medical Center, Newark, NJ, over a 3 1/2-year period. In this time there were 1737 pediatric admissions for eye treatment and of these, 258 (14.85%) were directly related to trauma. Only strabismus, with 676 (38.9%) admissions, accounted for more pediatric hospitalizations for eye injuries. Balls, fists, and sticks were the most common causes of injury, and the most common diagnosis was hyphema. The majority of injuries occurred in children between 11 and 15 years of age (31%). Ocular injuries in children above 10 years of age were most commonly sports-related, whereas injuries in the home accounted for the majority of trauma in children younger than 10 years of age.