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Incidence and clinical features of pediatric ocular trauma in a population-based cohort
Grayson B Ashby1, Matthew R Claxton2, Eric J Kim1
1Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
Insights
Pediatric eye injuries are common, with most being minor and affecting the front of the eye. However, certain factors like male sex and specific injury types increase the risk of vision loss.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Pediatric ocular and adnexal injuries represent a significant public health concern.
- Understanding the incidence and characteristics of these injuries is crucial for prevention and management strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence and clinical features of pediatric ocular and adnexal injuries.
- To identify risk factors associated with poor visual outcomes in children.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective, population-based cohort study was conducted in Olmsted County, Minnesota.
- Data were collected for all patients under 19 years of age diagnosed with ocular or adnexal injuries between 2000 and 2009.
Main Results:
- An incidence of 203 per 100,000 children was reported, with males and younger children being most affected.
- Blunt force, foreign bodies, and sports were common injury mechanisms, often occurring outdoors during summer.
- While most injuries were minor anterior segment issues, 7.7% had persistent visual acuity reduction, with male sex and specific injury types being risk factors.
Conclusions:
- The majority of pediatric eye injuries are minor and do not lead to long-term visual impairment.
- Risk stratification is important to identify children who may experience reduced visual acuity or long-term complications.
Purpose:
To report the incidence and clinical characteristics of pediatric ocular and adnexal injuries diagnosed over a 10-year period in Olmsted County, Minnesota.
Methods:
This multicenter retrospective, population-based cohort study included all patients <19 years of age in Olmsted County diagnosed with ocular or adnexal injuries from January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2009.
Results:
A total of 740 ocular or adnexal injuries occurred during the study period, yielding an incidence of 203 (95% CI, 189-218) per 100,000 children. Median age at diagnosis was 10.0 years, and 462 (62.4%) were males. Injuries presented to the emergency department or urgent care setting most frequently (69.6%) and often occurred while outdoors (31.6%) during summer months (29.7%). Common injury mechanisms included blunt force (21.5%), foreign bodies (13.8%), and sports activities (13.0%). Isolated anterior segment injuries occurred in 63.5% of injuries. Ninety-nine patients (13.8%) had visual acuity of 20/40 or worse at initial examination, and 55 patients (7.7%) had visual acuity of 20/40 or worse at final examination. Twenty-nine injuries (3.9%) required surgical intervention. Significant risk factors for reduced visual acuity and/or the development of long-term complications include male sex, age ≥12 years, outdoor injuries, sport and firearm/projectile injury mechanism, and hyphema or posterior segment injury (P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
Most pediatric eye injuries are minor anterior segment injuries with infrequent long-lasting effects on visual development.
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