Pediatric Eye Emergency Department Visits: Retrospective Review and Evaluation

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatric Emergency Medicine
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Pediatric ocular conditions require specialized emergency care.
• Understanding the epidemiology of these visits is crucial for resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the epidemiology of pediatric eye conditions in an emergency department.
• To analyze the incidence of ocular trauma and other diagnoses in children.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of pediatric patients in an urban eye emergency department over one year.
• Data collected included visit date, demographics, diagnosis, and mechanism of injury.

Main Results:

• Trauma was the leading cause (44.4%), followed by infection (19.3%).
• Peak visits occurred in spring/summer, with trauma peaking in spring.
• Admissions were predominantly due to trauma (76.4%), including ruptured globe, eyelid laceration, and orbital fracture.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric ophthalmic emergency visits are most commonly due to trauma, especially in warmer months.
• Preventable trauma is a significant cause of serious pediatric eye conditions.
• Analyzing visit patterns can optimize ophthalmology physician scheduling.