Characteristics of open-globe injuries in a tertiary hospital of Southern India

Aim: This study aims to describe the epidemiology of open-globe injuries at a tertiary care hospital of South India over a period of 5 years. Materials and Methods: Review of records of 40 eyes with open-globe injuries from January 2012 to December 2016 was done for demographics, time, nature and cause of injury, visual acuity, and ocular findings. Results: The prevalence of open-globe injuries was 2%. Majority of patients underwent primary repair with 5% having undergone evisceration. Visual acuity at time of presentation was >0.74 log of minimal angle of resolution in 10% with 17.5% having no perception of light. The most common type of injury as per the Birmingham Eye Trauma Terminology System was penetration type, Zone-I. Occupational injury was the most common mode of injury. Increasing number of injuries with a mean of 8 injuries/year was noted. Vitreous loss and associated facial trauma can be taken as an added variable for predicting postoperative visual outcome. Conclusion: Our study shows a male preponderance with men between age group of 20 and 40 years being at risk of open-globe injury. Immediate recognition of eye injury by the general practitioner and quick referral of the patient to an appropriate tertiary hospital with eye care facilities, within 24 h is advisable. Occupational injury was the etiology for the majority of the patients and hence there is a need to introduce stringent worker safety protocols. Ocular trauma score is also a good indicator of the prognosis for vision.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-SA

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