Purpose:
To quantify and characterize eye injuries in elderly patients (≥65 years) seen in United States (US) hospital emergency departments (EDs).
Methods:
Descriptive analysis of eye injuries using data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System - All Injury Program (NEISS-AIP), which collects data from sample hospitals and projects national estimates of non-fatal injuries. Data collected included demographic variables, diagnoses, etiology, hospital disposition, locale, and timing of injury (month and day of week) in patients aged 65 and older for 2001 through 2007.
Results:
There were an estimated 207,489 (95% confidence interval [CI] 168,920 to 246,057) eye injuries in patients aged 65 and older; 116,839 (CI 95,790 to 137,887; 56.3%) visits were by males. The most common diagnosis of injury was contusions/abrasions, which accounted for an estimated 99,419 (CI 80,449 to 118,388; 47.9%) visits. The leading cause for eye injuries was being struck by/against an object (88,719; CI 71,089 to 106,349; 42.8%). Most eye injuries occurred at home (115,974; CI 89,174 to 142,774; 55.9%).
Conclusions:
This study suggests that most injuries in the elderly occur at home. The most common injuries are contusions or abrasions, and are often caused by being struck by/against an object. Further research is needed on risk factors for eye injuries in the home in order to design appropriate prevention strategies.