A Retrospective Study of the Etiology and Patterns of Ocular Trauma in Preschool Children Presenting to the Emergency Department over a Five-Year Period in Shenzhen

Abstract

[Objective] To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of ocular trauma in preschool children presenting to the emergency department and to propose targeted prevention strategies. [Methods] A retrospective analysis was conducted on data collected from preschool children with ocular trauma who presented to our emergency department from May 2, 2018, to May 2023. [Results] A total of 324 preschool patients with ocular trauma were identified, comprising 157 patients (48.46%) aged 0-3 years and 167 patients (51.54%) aged 4-6 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 2.05:1. The leading causes of ocular trauma were contusions in 113 cases (34.88%), followed by injuries from blunt objects in 64 cases (19.75%), and falls in 55 cases (16.98%). The predominant types of trauma were blunt ocular adnexal trauma in 208 cases (64.2%), with eyelid injuries being the most common, and blunt ocular trauma in 96 cases (29.63%). Chemical injuries occurred in 9 patients (2.78%), and intraocular foreign body injuries in 11 patients (3.4%). The majority of the children were managed conservatively with treatments such as local eye drops post-injury. [Conclusion] Most ocular injuries are preventable. Caregivers should enhance supervision of preschool children and minimize injury risks in daily life.