Orbit fractures: Identifying patient factors indicating high risk for ocular and periocular injury

Abstract

IV.

Isolated Orbital Fractures Are Severe Among Geriatric Patients

“…The frequency of associated ocular injuries has been reported to range from 22 to 30%, with most ocular injuries characterized as self-limiting and minor. 5,9,15,16 In the present results, ocular injuries were only found in the elderly patients (5.6%). The rate was rather low compared with the results from Andrews et al 15 or Ho et al 16 These investigators concluded that 10.0 to 26.7% of orbital fractures will include vision-threatening ocular injuries.…”

“…5,9,15,16 In the present results, ocular injuries were only found in the elderly patients (5.6%). The rate was rather low compared with the results from Andrews et al 15 or Ho et al 16 These investigators concluded that 10.0 to 26.7% of orbital fractures will include vision-threatening ocular injuries. 15,16 One reason for our lower rate of ocular injuries might have been that during the study period, patients were referred for ophthalmologic consultation according to their symptoms.…”

“…The rate was rather low compared with the results from Andrews et al 15 or Ho et al 16 These investigators concluded that 10.0 to 26.7% of orbital fractures will include vision-threatening ocular injuries. 15,16 One reason for our lower rate of ocular injuries might have been that during the study period, patients were referred for ophthalmologic consultation according to their symptoms. Another reason for the discrepancy in the results could be the differences in the study samples.…”

“…Another reason for the discrepancy in the results could be the differences in the study samples. In our study, only isolated orbital fractures were included; however, in the studies reported by Andrews et al 15 and Ho et al, 16 that was not the only inclusion criterion. In the present results, all the eye injuries were diagnosed in the elderly population, although the proportion of patients referred for ophthalmologic consultation was 15.6% for the controls and 13.9% for the geriatric patients.…”

“…The fracture depth, penetrating mechanisms, abnormal vision or visual acuity, and an abnormal pupillary reflex have been identified as factors affecting the ocular injury risk in the presence of orbital trauma. 15,16 According to the published data, geriatric patients sustain orbital fractures more frequently than do younger adults, mainly from falls. However, to the best of our knowledge, no previous studies have compared the clinical and radiologic findings of isolated orbital fractures between elderly and younger adult patients.…”