Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the current causes and outcomes of open eye injuries in children.
Patients and methods: We reviewed the hospital records of 57 patients under 14 years of age who were treated for open globe injuries at Edouard Herriot Hospital, Lyon, France, between January 1999 and December 2003.
Results: This review includes 57 patients: 41 males and 16 females. The mean age at admission was 6.8 +/- 3.5 years. The injury involved the right eye in 27 cases and the left eye in 30 cases. Sharp or pointed objects accounted for the majority of injuries. The most common location for a perforating ocular injury to occur was at home. Wounds involved the cornea in 41 cases. There was iris hernia in 21 cases, hyphema in 15 cases, vitreous prolapse in 14 cases, lens damage in 12 cases, and shallow anterior chamber in 11 cases. The most frequent complication was traumatic cataract. Secondary lens removal was performed in 15 cases. Visual acuity was 0.5 or better in 27 of the 57 eyes, with a mean follow-up period of 12 months.
Conclusions: Perforating ocular injuries are a frequent cause of unilateral visual loss. The highest proportion of injuries occurred at home and sharp objects were the most frequent causative agents. More adequate adult supervision and educational measures are necessary in order to reduce the prevalence of these accidents.