No abstract

PURPOSE: Open-globe injury is defined as trauma causing a full-thickness defect of the eyewall, with reported ratios of 28.9-49.7% occurring in the pediatric age group of all the injuries. Eye injuries account for 8-14% of all injuries in pediatric patients. Our purpose in this retrospective study was to evaluate the epidemiology, etiology, and outcomes of pediatric open-glob injury patients diagnosed and treated at a tertiary medical center in Istanbul, Turkey; with an aim of making contribution to the data in order to establish specific preventative guidelines for ocular trauma within the pediatric population.METHODS: The medical records of 56 patients ≤18 years old who underwent primary open-globe injury repair at Prof.Dr.Cemil Tascioglu State Hospital from January 2016 to January 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: The majority of the injuries took place at home (35 cases, 62.5%).The most common traumatizing object was knife in 10.7% of the cases, followed by fork in 8.9%.CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our study demonstrated that the visual acuity at presentation and the presence of lens injury are prognostic factors for open-globe injuries in pediatric age group.These findings can be useful in terms of predicting the prognosis and managing the expectation of the children with open-globe injury and their parents. However, we believe that adoption of appropriate protective measures in order to avoid unnecessary injuries are far more effective in terms of preventing visual impairment than advancements in any kind of treatment or management strategies after the injury.