The epidemiology of serious eye injuries from the United States Eye injuryRegistry

Background: Trauma remains a major problem throughout the world. The progno sis of severe eye injuries is commonly bleak. This paper focuses on the epi demiology of eye trauma, the role of ocular epidemiology, and identificatio n and reduction of risk factors. Methods: An analysis of the first 8,952 patients reported with severe eye i njuries, defined as those eye injuries resulting in permanent and significa nt (measurable and observable on routine eye examination) structural and/or functional changes to the eye, from the United Stares Eye Injury Registry as of 31 July 1998. Results: The age of patients entered was from the ist year of life to 103 y ears. Fifty-eight percent of those injured were less than 30 years of age. The male to female ratio was 4.6:1, reaching 7.4:1 in the fourth decade of life. Almost half of the injuries involved the retina, and 77% of the injur ed eyes required one or more surgical procedures, including a large proport ion which have undergone vitreoretinal surgical procedures, Conclusion: Injuries remain the most serious public health problem facing d eveloped nations. Yet, a persistent inadequacy exists both in the standardi zed documentation of eye injuries and in their treatment. With appropriate surgical and medical intervention, a majority of the reported injured eyes recovered functional levels of visual acuity. It appears that glasses, incl uding prescription glasses and even non-prescription sunglasses, can offer measurable protection which results in a lower incidence of severe eye inju ries to those wearing glasses.