The Effect of Frontal Air Bags on Eye Injury Patterns in Automobile Crashes

Abstract

To investigate eye injuries resulting from frontal automobile crashes and to determine the effects of frontal air bags. Methods:The National Automotive Sampling System database files from January 1, 1993, through December 31, 1999, were examined in a 3-part study that included an investigation of 22 236 individual crashes that occurred in the United States. A new 4-level eye injury severity scale that quantifies injuries based on recovery time, need for surgery, and possible loss of sight was developed.Results: Of all occupants who were exposed to an air bag deployment, 3% sustained an eye injury. In contrast, 2% of occupants not exposed to an air bag deploy-ment sustained an eye injury. A closer examination of the type of eye injuries showed that there was a statistically significant increase in the risk of corneal abrasions for occupants who were exposed to an air bag compared with those who were not (P = .03). Of occupants exposed to an air bag deployment, 0.5% sustained a corneal abrasion compared with 0.04% of occupants who were not exposed to an air bag.Conclusions: Using the new injury levels, it was shown that although occupants exposed to an air bag deployment had a higher risk of sustaining minor eye injuries, the air bag appears to have provided a beneficial exchange by reducing the number of severe eye injuries.

Ocular Injury Reduction From Ocular Protection Use in Current Combat Operations

“…Not all casualties had AIS codes assigned, so ICD-9 codes were adapted to the injury scale (Table 1). 14 Although there is another injury scoring system, Ocular Trauma Score, this system was not used because of the way eye injuries were documented in the JTTR. 15 Laceration of the eye, unspecified 871.…”

Effects of Bracing on Human Kinematics in Low-Speed Frontal Sled Tests

“…The number of occupants sustaining injuries greatly exceeds fatalities in magnitude as 931,000 are injured in frontal collisions. 47 Injuries sustained in motor vehicle collisions range from extremity [20][21][22]28,29,39,42 and eye [23][24][25]27 injuries, to more serious head 17 and chest 26,34,40,41 injuries. The total economic cost incurred as a result of motor vehicle collisions in 2000 totaled $230.6 billion.…”

Dynamic material properties of the human sclera

“…In 2007, approximately 66,000 people suffered from vehicle-related eye injuries in the United States (Mcgwin et al, 2005). Of the vehicle occupants sustaining an eye injury during a crash, as many as 15-25% sustain severe eye injuries (Duma and Crandall, 2000;Duma et al, 2002) and it was shown that within these severe eye injuries as many as 45% resulted in globe rupture (Kuhn et al, 1994).…”