Epidemiology of Pediatric Ocular Trauma in the Chaoshan Region, China, 2001–2010

Abstract

BackgroundOcular trauma is the leading cause of monocular visual disability and noncongenital unilateral blindness in children. This study describes the epidemiology and medical care associated with nonfatal pediatric (≤17 years of age) eye injury-related hospitalization in the largest industrial base for plastic toy production in China.MethodsA population-based retrospective study of patients hospitalized for ocular and orbital trauma in the ophthalmology departments of 3 major tertiary hospitals from 1st January 2001 to 31st December 2010 was performed.ResultsThe study included 1035 injured eyes from 1018 patients over a 10-year period: 560 (54.1%) eyes exhibited open globe injuries, 402 (38.8%) eyes suffered closed globe injuries, 10 (1.0%) eyes suffered chemical injuries and 8 (0.8%) eyes exhibited thermal injuries, representing an average annual hospitalization rate of 0.37 per 10,000 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36–0.38) due to pediatric eye injury in the Chaoshan region. The mean patient age was 9.2±4.4 years with a male-to-female ratio of 3.3∶1 (P = 0.007). Children aged 6 to 11 years accounted for the highest percentage (40.8%, 416/1018) of hospitalization, 56.7% (236/416) of whom were hospitalized for open globe wounds. Injury occurred most frequently at home (73.1%). Open globe wounds cost the single most expensive financial burden (60.8%) of total charges with $998±702 mean charges per hospitalization.ConclusionsOpen globe wounds occurred at home are earmarked for the priorities to prevention strategies. Higher public awareness of protecting primary schoolchildren from home-related eye injuries should be strengthened urgently by legislation or regulation since the traditional industrial mode seems to remain the pattern for the foreseeable future. Further research that provide detailed information on the specific inciting agents of pediatric eye injuries are recommended for facilitating the development and targeting of appropriate injury prevention initiatives.

Profile of pediatric eye trauma at Hospital de Base do Distrito Federal (HBDF), Brasília, Brazil

“…4,28 Open trauma required more specialist intervention, and primary suturing of the eye wall was the procedure conducted the most. 4,6,26 Family income and mother's level of education do not relate to a worse visual prognosis, unlike the literature. 17,29 In relation to level of education, there was a concentration of cases in two categories in the sample, as most of the respondents did not complete primary education, but also a large part completed high school or had incomplete higher education, which demonstrates an evolution to the average level of education in Brazil cited in a previous study.…”

“…26 These measures are only possible from the moment in which the profile of the problem is established, which helps to understand the difficulties to be faced and, from this point, to endorse protection, promotion and prevention actions aimed at better visual health of children and adolescents. Objetivo: descrever o perfil epidemiológico do trauma ocular infantil na urgência do HBDF.…”

“…21 Most cases presented visual acuity greater than or equal to 20/40. 4,18,25 However, studies have reported a higher prevalence of visual acuity between light perception and 20/100, 26,27 which may be related to the reported prevalence of cases of open trauma. 4,28 Open trauma required more specialist intervention, and primary suturing of the eye wall was the procedure conducted the most.…”

Characteristics of pediatric and adult cases with open globe injury and factors affecting the visual outcome: a retrospective analyses of 294 cases from Turkey

“…[6][7][8] OGIs, which represent a substantial proportion of ocular traumas, accounts for a substantial proportion of ocular trauma-related hospital expenditure (>60%) and supposes a significant financial burden. [9] The estimation of final visual acuity just after OGI is important for both patients and physicians who deal with its treatment. Thus, the precise definition of factors that influence the final visual acuity and knowing the characteristics of trauma according to geographical regions and characteristics of a population would be beneficial.…”

Características clínicas y epidemiológicas del trauma ocular en menores de 14 años

“…Estos datos son similares a los encontrados en estudios poblacionales grandes y en países desarrollados, en los cuales aún es una problemática la falta de estrategias de prevención en salud pública. 9 En este estudio, no encontramos lesiones relacionadas con los deportes, como hockey, bádminton, dardos y gotcha, reportados en otras bibliografías, 4,5 debido a que la población que se atiende en este hospital, en su mayoría, es del área rural, en donde no se practican estos deportes.…”