Hospital Based Longitudinal Study on Artificial Snow Spray Induced Ocular Injuries and Its Correlation with the Awareness among the Study Population at Medical College Hospital, Bhubaneswar

Abstract

BACKGROUND Artificial snow spray induced ocular injuries have become common in the past two decades throughout India. There is a paucity of studies in India as well as globally on such injuries. This study was undertaken to identify such types of ocular injuries and evaluate the awareness of artificial snow spray use in the present hospital settings. METHODS This hospital based longitudinal study was carried out among 68 patients having artificial snow spray induced ocular injuries. The study period was from 01. 01. 2019 to 30. 12. 2019. A detailed history of patients was taken pertaining to the injury. A thorough ocular examination was carried out on a slit lamp biomicroscope. Visual acuity was recorded using Snellen’s test type chart. Clinical grading was done by Roper Hall classification. RESULTS The present study included 68 patients i.e. 124 eyes of which 64.7 % (44) were males, 35.3 % (24) were females. The mean age was 26.029 years. All the patients suffered from chemical conjunctivitis (100 %), superficial punctate keratitis (SPK) 82.3 %, corneal erosion (8.8 %), and corneal erosion involving limbal area (3.2 %). Most ocular injuries due to artificial foam were bilateral (82.3 %). Maximum number of patients (94.4 %) had grade I ocular injuries. 93.5 % of patients had BCVA (best corrected visual acuity) 6 / 6 within 1 week of ocular injuries. So far, no patients had any irreversible ophthalmic sequelae. Awareness among the study group was very less. CONCLUSIONS Artificial snow spray used in parties, festival celebration can cause mild to severe ocular injuries. Public awareness will reduce the use of this chemical. KEYWORDS Artificial Snow Spray, Corneal Erosion, Ocular Injury, Awareness