Original Article

Epidemiology of Open-Globe Injuries

  • Ayşin Tuba Kaplan
  • Baran Kandemir
  • Nadire Erdoğan Dib
  • Işıl Bahar Şayman
  • Ömer Kamil Doğan

Received Date: 15.12.2009 Accepted Date: 11.02.2010 Turk J Ophthalmol 2010;40(2):84-88

Purpose:

We evaluated the epidemiological factors in patients presenting with open-globe injury.

Material and Method:

This study analysed one hundred and sixty-nine eyes of 167 patients with open-globe injuries who presented to Ophthalmology Department, Dr Lütfi Kırdar Kartal Training and Research Hospital between February 2004 and March 2009. After a detailed history was taken, a complete ophthalmologic examination was performed. Craniographies were performed before each operation. Cases were examined with regard to age, sex, profession, which eye was traumatized, reason for the trauma, nature of the trauma, accompanying pathologies, visual acuity, foreign body in the eye and nature of the treatment.

Results:

26 of 167 cases were female and 141 were male with a mean age of 31.23±19.45 (range: 1-89) years. Ocular traumas were mainly caused by penetrating and cutting objects in 133 cases (78.6%) and blurred trauma in 36 (21.3%) cases, in 9 cases foreign body in the eye was found. The penetration location was cornea in 104 eyes (61.5% ), corneosclera in 33 eyes (19.5%) and sclera in 32 eyes (18.9%). Primary suture was performed in each case and during the same surgical session, anterior vitrectomy was performed in 8 eyes, lid suturing in 10 eyes, lens aspiration in 9 eyes and foreign body extraction from the anterior chamber in 5 eyes were done. Additional surgeries due to various reasons were performed in 47 cases after the initial operations.

Discussion:

Open-globe injuries are one of the main causes of sight loss. Most penetrating eye injuries were caused by preventable accidents. Many accidents and the injuries resulting from them could have been prevented through greater intensive care, workplace safety and education.

Keywords: Epidemiology, eye traumas

Full Text (Turkish)