Mc. Asuzu et al., A survey of eye trauma and diseases at a teaching hospital: implications for training in occupational ophthalmology in Nigeria, OCCUP MED-O, 50(3), 2000, pp. 193-196
This study explores the amount of occupational ophthalmology that it is pos
sible to encounter within an existing teaching hospital system, as this off
ers the primary training facilities for resident doctors who expect to spec
ialize in occupational medicine. The study was based on an analysis of opht
halmology patient records available at the University College Hospital, Iba
dan, which is Nigeria's largest teaching hospital. One thousand, three hund
red and thirty-four patients with eye disease were seen during the 1-year s
tudy. Of these, 1052 (78.9%) did not have their occupations recorded. Accid
ents were the only occupational diagnoses recorded, and this occurred in 75
(5.6%) of cases. The findings indicate that doctors who train in this spec
ialty should gain experience in industries that have sizeable occupational
health services, in addition to their formal ophthalmology training, in ord
er to acquire experience in primary and occupational eye care. It is sugges
ted that greater emphasis be placed on occupational ophthalmology in teachi
ng hospitals and that there is a general improvement in completing patients
' records: in particular, a patient's occupation should be recorded.