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Prevalence of Pediatric Ocular Trauma in Northern Iran; An Epidemiological Cross-Sectional Study
Hanieh Ahmadi1, Zahra Alizadeh2, Samad Karkhah3,4
1Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Insights
Pediatric ocular trauma, often caused by stationery, predominantly affects boys and frequently results in corneal injuries, primarily occurring at home. Increased parental supervision and education on safe stationery use are recommended.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Trauma Epidemiology
Background:
- Ocular trauma is a significant cause of acquired blindness in children.
- Epidemiological patterns of childhood eye injuries vary globally.
- Understanding these patterns is crucial for targeted prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of ocular trauma in children under 18 years.
- To identify common causes, injury types, and locations of eye trauma in the pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 145 children (<18 years) with ocular trauma.
- Data collected from patients referred to Bu-Ali-Sina Hospital, Sari, Iran (Nov 2017 - Jan 2019).
- Analysis included demographics, trauma type, affected eye, risk factors, injury location, and pupillary defects.
Main Results:
- Men constituted 57.9% of cases; blunt trauma (70.4%) and unilateral injuries (97.2%) were most common.
- Stationery was the leading risk factor (51.0%), with home being the primary location (67.4%).
- Corneal injuries affected nearly half of patients (52.9%); boys showed higher rates of blunt and penetrating trauma (p=0.03).
Conclusions:
- Stationery-related injuries at home are a major cause of pediatric ocular trauma.
- Corneal injuries are prevalent in both blunt and penetrating trauma cases.
- Enhanced parental supervision and safety education regarding stationery use in children are essential.
Abstract:
Ocular trauma is one of the most common causes of acquired blindness in children. The epidemiological parameters associated with ocular trauma vary in different populations, especially in children. The objective of this study was to assess the ocular trauma epidemiology in children less than 18 years of age. In this cross-sectional study, 145 children (under 18 years) with ocular trauma who referred to the emergency department of Bu-Ali-Sina Hospital in Sari, Iran were enrolled from November 2017 to January 2019. Of the participants, 57.9% were men, 70.4% had blunt trauma, 97.2% had a unilateral eye injury, and 54.5% had a right eye injury. The most risk factor for trauma was stationery (51.0%). Almost half of the patients (52.9%) had corneal injuries. The most trauma locations were at home (67.4%). Most patients (95.0%) had normal relative afferent pupillary defects. Blunt (52.6% vs. 47.4%) and penetrating (72.5% vs. 27.5%) traumas was higher in boys than girls (p=0.03). Most frequent part of eye injuries in blunt and penetrating traumas was related to the cornea (P=0.04). It seems that parents should have more supervision on children at home and give adequate education in using of stationery to school-age children by considering the results of present study.
