Abstract
Purpose :
Pediatric ocular trauma can lead to severe morbidity due to potential subsequent visual impairment. The purpose of this study was to analyze the epidemiological aspects and outcomes of pediatric ocular injuries cases admitted to a tertiary reference ophthalmological center in SãoPaulo, Brazil.
Methods :
Data were collected through a comprehensive review of medical records of patients aged up to 15 years old, presenting with ocular injuries at the Hospital São Paulo ophthalmological emergency room from October 2009 to March 2020. The analyzed data included age, sex, injury details, adopted conduct, management, and visual outcomes. Eye injuries were classified by the Birmingham Eye Trauma Terminology (BETT). Age categories included infants (under 2 years), preschoolers (2-6 years old), schoolchildren (7-10 years old), and adolescents (11-15 years old).
Results :
A total of 1,157 patients were included in the analysis (64.13% males, mean age 7.91±4.40 years old), with most of them in the preschoolers' age group (34.48%). Most injuries were unilateral (94.81%) with an even distribution between right and left eyes. Globe injuries accounted for 965 cases and were classified according to BETTs classification as open globe (14.43%), closed globe (68.97%), and other injuries (16.59%). Corneal perforation (n=125) and corneal abrasion (n=154) were the most common injuries in open and closed globe categories, respectively. Other injuries included mostly lid and canalicular lacerations or chemical injuries. Household items were the primary causative agents in 226 cases, followed by unpredictable trauma (i.e. falls and accidental collisions) in 143 cases, and toys in 83 cases. Surgical intervention was required in 19.62% of cases, with corneal and corneoscleral sutures being the most frequently performed. Visual acuity pre- and post- treatment was available in 703 cases (60.76%) and showed maintenance, improvement, and worsening in 51.49%, 38.41%, and 10.10%, respectively.
Conclusions :
Ocular trauma in children is an important preventable cause of ocular morbidity. Most of our cases were from preschool-age males and involved closed globe injuries, often caused by household items. Surgery was required in about 1/5 of cases. The proper management of trauma can improve the visual outcomes.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.