Analysis of ocular emergencies in a reference eye center in Brazil

To determine the incidence of ocular emergencies and patient profiles in a public health eye center in Brazil.

The medical record database of the Fundação Altino Ventura, Recife, Brazil was retrospectively analyzed and included all patients assisted at the ophthalmic emergency room between January 2017 and January 2018. Medical records with incomplete data and outpatient complaints were excluded. For records with multiple visits, only the initial visit was considered.

In 1 year, 134,788 patients (mean age at admission: 38.7 ± 22 years; range: 0-99 years) were admitted at the emergency room of the Fundação Altino Ventura. The most frequent diagnoses were conjunctivitis (52,732 cases; 37.3%), blepharitis (7,213 cases; 5.1%), and corneal/conjunctival foreign body (6,925 cases; 4.9%). Corneal/conjunctival foreign body and ocular trauma had an eight- and two-fold higher incidence in male patients, respectively (both p<0.001). Female patients presented a two-fold higher incidence of trichiasis and blepharitis than males (p<0.001). Corneal/conjunctival foreign body and ocular trauma affected more patients in a productive age (>15 years), while corneal ulcers, blepharitis, and trichiasis affected more elderly patients. All diagnostic clusters (e.g., infectious diseases, ocular trauma, foreign bodies, retinopathies, eyelid disorders, corneal diseases, glaucomatous crisis, and neuroophthalmological diseases) were more common during the spring season (p<0.001).

The most common ocular emergencies in the present study were infectious diseases and foreign body. However, the incidence of ophthalmological emergencies was influenced by the age and sex of patients, as well as the time of the year.