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)