Characteristics of eye injuries in urban KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa: 2005-2008

Abstract

Purpose: To provide epidemiological data on ocular injuries among patients utilising the provincial hospitals eye care clinics in urban KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This data can be used in the future planning and intervention for ocular injuries at provincial hospitals.Methods: Record cards of 220 ocular injury patients seen at two selected urban provincial hospitals over a period of four years were reviewed.Results: Male presentation was higher (79.1%) compared to females (20.9%). The Black population (85.9%) experienced more ocular injuries than other race groups. The 21 to 30 age group incurred more injuries (32.3%) than other age groups. Open globe injuries occurred more frequent (56.4%) than closed globe injuries (43.6%). The frequent type of injury was blunt trauma/contusion (32.7%). More than half of the injuries were from solid objects (56.4%) followed by assaults (16.4%). The home was the common place to incur an injury (72.2%). Twenty four patients (10.9%) required surgical intervention at initial presentation. One hundred and fifty eight (71.8%) patients returned for follow up examination. Twenty five percent of the patients remained with poor vision following treatment. Conclusion: Ocular trauma due to burns is usually bilateral while that due to blunt trauma and intra ocular foreign bodies are generally unilateral. Solid objects were the most frequent cause of ocular injury and injuries due to this cause were most often incurred in the home. (S Afr Optom 2013 72(3) 119-126)

Characteristics and visual outcome of ocular trauma patients at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Malawi

“…In this present study, ocular injuries commonly occurred in younger people less than 30 years (80.5%) with a peak age in those less than ten years of age and in adults between 21–30 years. This is similar to other studies that report ocular trauma to be common in middle-aged men in the adult patients [ 13 , 17 ]. From previous research, the high male and young patients prevalence has been attributed to males engaging in more risky behaviour; from male children engaging in more adventurous play than their female counterparts, to more physically-involving occupations taken more by adult males than females [ 20 , 21 ].…”

“…Previous studies have reported that more ocular injuries occur in males than in females [ 2 , 14 – 16 ]. This has similarly been described in our study patients with a ratio of 2.8:1 [ 17 – 19 ]. In this present study, ocular injuries commonly occurred in younger people less than 30 years (80.5%) with a peak age in those less than ten years of age and in adults between 21–30 years.…”

“…Several studies have described events that surround ocular trauma. In this present study, in general, most injuries occurred at home, a finding that is consistent both in low and high income countries [ 17 , 27 , 28 ]. Additionally, most of the paediatric ocular injuries occurred as the children played.…”

The epidemiology of ocular trauma in the Northern Cape, South Africa

“…8 Previous studies on adult ocular trauma in South Africa have been limited to the Western Cape (Cape Town), Eastern Cape (East London) and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, with no published studies from the Northern Cape. 8,9,10,11,12,13 Findings from these studies suggest that ocular trauma in South Africa occurs predominantly in young, adult men, usually as a result of interpersonal violence and occupational injuries, and is significantly associated with alcohol use. The majority of injuries occur at home and, in cases of assault, the assailant is usually well known or related to the victim.…”

“…The majority of injuries occur at home and, in cases of assault, the assailant is usually well known or related to the victim. 8,12 The Northern Cape is South Africa's largest and least populous province (approximately an area of 375 000 km 2 with 1.2 million inhabitants). The main industries are mining and agriculture (comprising one-third of the total provincial economy) with a comparable unemployment rate to the rest of the country.…”