Characteristics of open-globe injuries in a tertiary hospital of Southern India

• Main Authors: Ankita Kothari, Mary Joseph, Anupama Janardhanan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2019-01-01
• Series: Journal of Clinical Ophthalmology and Research
• Subjects: Open-globe injuries; risk factors in open-globe injuries; visual outcome in open-globe injuries; vitreous loss in open-globe injuries
• Online Access: http://www.jcor.in/article.asp?issn=2320-3897;year=2019;volume=7;issue=2;spage=37;epage=40;aulast=Kothari

Aim: This study aims to describe the epidemiology of open-globe injuries at a tertiary care hospital of South India over a period of 5 years. Materials and Methods: Review of records of 40 eyes with open-globe injuries from January 2012 to December 2016 was done for demographics, time, nature and cause of injury, visual acuity, and ocular findings. Results: The prevalence of open-globe injuries was 2%. Majority of patients underwent primary repair with 5% having undergone evisceration. Visual acuity at time of presentation was >0.74 log of minimal angle of resolution in 10% with 17.5% having no perception of light. The most common type of injury as per the Birmingham Eye Trauma Terminology System was penetration type, Zone-I. Occupational injury was the most common mode of injury. Increasing number of injuries with a mean of 8 injuries/year was noted. Vitreous loss and associated facial trauma can be taken as an added variable for predicting postoperative visual outcome. Conclusion: Our study shows a male preponderance with men between age group of 20 and 40 years being at risk of open-globe injury. Immediate recognition of eye injury by the general practitioner and quick referral of the patient to an appropriate tertiary hospital with eye care facilities, within 24 h is advisable. Occupational injury was the etiology for the majority of the patients and hence there is a need to introduce stringent worker safety protocols. Ocular trauma score is also a good indicator of the prognosis for vision.