A survey of eye trauma and diseases at a teaching hospital: implications for training in occupational ophthalmology in Nigeria

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.