Ocular sports injuries: the current picture

Abstract

Objectives-To determine the recent incidence of eye injury due to sport in Scotland, identify any trend, and establish which sports are responsible for most injury? The type of injury and final visual outcome is also evaluated. Methods-A prospective observational study of ocular injuries sustained during sport was performed over a one year period. Only patients requiring hospital admission were included. Data were collected on a standardised proforma and entered into a central database. Patients were followed up for at least three months. Results-Of 416 patients admitted because of ocular injury, 52 (12.5%) resulted from playing a sport. Although all racquet sports together accounted for 47.5% of these injuries, football was the single most common sport associated with ocular trauma, being responsible for 32.5% of cases. The most common clinical finding was macroscopic hyphaema occurring in 87.5% of patients. Overall the final visual acuity was 6/6 in 92.5% of patients. Conclusions-The incidence of eye injury due to sport at 12.5% is lower than previously reported, suggesting a change in the pattern of ocular trauma. Football is the single most common cause of ocular injury from sport in Scotland, but the wearing of protective headgear would be diYcult to instigate. The incidence of hyphaema in sport related ocular trauma (87.5%) is almost double that of all ocular injury (47.8%), so the potential for serious visual loss as the result of a sports injury should not be underrated. Ophthalmologists have a role in protecting this young population at risk by actively encouraging the design and use of protective eyewear. (Br J Sports Med 2000;34:456-458)

Sports related ocular injuries

“…The medical fraternity also have a very important role to play in educating the coaches, parents, and children and thus put an end to unnecessary blindness and vision loss from sports related ocular injuries, ensuring a lifetime of healthy vision. 1,11 Most common mechanisms of eye injuries…”

Unusual Eye Trauma Caused by Hula Hoop: A Case Report

“…With such activities, sport-related eye injuries have become a concern around the world as the incidence has been steadily increasing [2] [8]. These injuries can be fatal for sight, being responsible for up to one-third of all cases of blindness in the United States [9].…”

A 10-Year Survey of Severe Eye Injuries in Sport in Belgrade, Serbia 2000-2009

“…Canavan et al in 1980 reported the incidence of sport eye injures of 4.1% [4], and Jones, in 1988, showed the increase of percentage to 25.1% [5], while in MacEwen's paper, 1989, the proportion of sport eye injures was 42.2% [6]. At the beginning of 21st century such percentage was decreased, and therefore, Barr et al, in their study in 2000, reported the sport eye injury incidence of 12.5% [2], and in 2007 study by Len et al, such percent was 11% [7]. This paper analyzes the incidence, nature of injury and functional sequelae of sport injuries in Serbia in the first decade of our century.…”

“…In the past decade, the incidence of sport eye injuries tended to have increasing growth [1,2]. Garrow, in 1923, reported that the sport eye injuries accounted only for 0.7% of all patients admitted for treatment of their eye injures in the Glasgow Royal Infirmary [3].…”