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Pediatric Open Globe Injury in Tertiary Hospitals of Khobar and Dhahran
Faten A Al Majed1,2, Fatemah T Al Shamlan3, Mohammed A Alawazem1,2
1Ophthalmology, King Fahd Hospital of the University, Khobar, SAU.
Insights
Pediatric open globe injuries, often caused by sharp objects like glass at home, can lead to blindness. Factors like injury type and initial signs predict visual outcomes, emphasizing home safety and supervision.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Trauma
- Public Health
Background:
- Millions of children globally experience eye injuries annually.
- Open globe injury is a significant cause of blindness across all age groups.
- Understanding pediatric open globe injury is crucial for prevention and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the epidemiology of pediatric open globe injuries.
- To identify common causes and risk factors.
- To analyze clinical outcomes and predict visual acuity.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of pediatric open globe injuries.
- Data collected from King Fahad Hospital of the University and Dhahran Eye Specialist Hospital (2010-2020).
- Statistical analysis to determine factors influencing visual outcome.
Main Results:
- 120 pediatric cases identified; 69.5% were male, average age 5.1 years.
- Sharp objects, particularly glass, were the most common cause (89.1%).
- Accidental injuries occurred predominantly inside the home (71.6%).
Conclusions:
- Visual outcome is predictable based on presenting injury severity.
- The household environment poses a significant risk for pediatric eye trauma.
- Recommendations include childproofing homes and enhancing adult supervision.
Abstract:
Background Every year, 3.3 to 5.7 million eye injuries occur worldwide in children. Open globe injury is a common type of trauma that leads to blindness in all age groups. This study aimed to review and discuss the epidemiology, causes, and clinical outcome of pediatric open globe injury. Methods A retrospective chart review of all pediatric open globe injuries presented to King Fahad Hospital of the University and Dhahran Eye Specialist Hospital was conducted between 2010 and 2020. Data analyses were done to identify factors predicting ultimate visual acuity. Results The overall number of cases was 502, of which 120 cases were children and of the documented 118 cases, around 82 (69.5%) were males with an average age of 5.1 years. The traumatic object was sharp in 90 (89.1%) cases. The most common object was glass, presented in 18 (18.4%) cases. Most injuries were accidental (68.9%) and 48 (71.6%) cases out of 67 occurred inside the house. The factors associated with better visual outcome (20/40 or better) were sharp injuries, absence of hyphema, absence of vitreous hemorrhage, trauma with intraocular foreign body, undergone one operation, and absence of cataract at presentation. Conclusion The ultimate visual outcome post open globe injury could be predicted from the severity of the presenting signs. Also, the household environment carries the highest risk, hence it is not always a safe haven for children. Thus, childproofing the house and adult supervision is advisable.