Abstract
Purpose :
To assess the epidemiology of pediatric ocular conditions presenting to an ophthalmic emergency department and analyze the incidence of ocular trauma as well as other ophthalmic emergencies.
Methods :
A retrospective review was performed of all patients seen in an urban eye emergency room over a one year period. The following variables were examined: visit date, demographics, diagnosis, mechanism of injury, and level of patient care.
Results :
. Analysis was performed on 1,136 pediatric visits spanning one year. Trauma was seen in 44.4% of patients presenting to the Wills Eye ER. Infection was slightly less prevalent, seen in 19.3% of patients. The largest volume of pediatric usage was in the spring and early summer, with the peak usage seen between March and June; trauma showed a narrower peak presentation from March to May. Most admissions of pediatric patients were due to trauma (76.4%), of which the most common diagnoses were ruptured globe (27.3%), eyelid laceration (18.2%), and orbital fracture (10.9%). Sports were the most frequent broad cause of trauma seen in pediatric patients, accounting for 30.9% of all trauma, while the highest singular cause of trauma was injury by “play” guns (9.5%).
Conclusions :
Pediatric ophthalmic emergency room visits in this urban population are most often due to trauma. Usage trends show an increased usage in the spring and early summer. A majority of the more serious conditions leading to admission can also be attributed to trauma. Because many of these visits and admissions are due to trauma, preventive measures to limit injuries to the eye as a result of trauma is important. Increasing education to caregivers regarding eye injuries and prevention including protective eyewear could decrease pediatric ocular trauma in urban settings and improve visual outcomes overall.
This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.