Epidemiological and clinical findings of ocular trauma in a public hospital in Türkiye.

Background: The aim of this study is to characterize the sociodemographic, epidemiological, and clinical characteristics of ocular injuries in a secondary-level public hospital in Türkiye, identify the risk factors in the region, raise awareness on this issue, and propose solutions for injury prevention.

Methods: This hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using data from patients who were followed up and treated for ocular trauma between January 2021 and January 2023 in a secondary-level public hospital located in the Middle Black Sea region of Türkiye. All patients, regardless of age, diagnosed with eyeball, eyelid, and orbital trauma were included. The age and gender of the patients, the situation or object that caused the injury, the location where the injury occurred, the type of injury according to the Birmingham Eye Trauma Terminology System (BETTS), initial and final visual acuities, and treatment outcomes were analyzed.

Results: Medical records of 83 patients aged between two and 93 years were evaluated. Ocular trauma predominantly occurred in individuals aged 18 to 35 years (35%), with males comprising the majority (74.6%). Closed globe injury was the most common type of injury (73.5%), while injuries without globe involvement accounted for 18.1%, and open globe injuries comprised 8.4%. The most common cause of ocular injuries was falling (22.9%), with 47.3% of the patients in this group being 60 years of age or older. The most frequently implicated object in open globe injuries was wood, accounting for 42.8%. It was observed that injuries occurred most frequently on the streets (38.6%), followed by incidents at home (31.3%) and in the workplace (22.8%). Perforating injuries and ruptures were associated with the worst prognosis for final outcome.

Conclusion: Falls in older adults were the most common cause of trauma. Preventive measures should be implemented to address the causes and risk factors of fall-related eye injuries in the elderly. Raising awareness among society and authorities about the causes and consequences of eye injuries is essential. By doing so, these injuries can be effectively prevented.