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Study finds reduction in ocular injuries in children
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A study on a large body of data showed decreased, but still concerning, prevalence of pediatric ocular injuries in the U.S., as well as significant changes in the causes of injuries over the 9-year span of the study.
The source of information for the study was the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS), a large database that comprises 947 hospitals in 30 states, in which 376,040 cases of pediatric acute ocular injury were reported between 2006 and 2014.
Prevalence rates were higher amongst boys and in children from birth to the age of 4 years. The majority of children lived in metropolitan areas and had a low income family background. Strikes, falls and foreign bodies were the most commonly reported mechanisms of injuries. Most of the injuries were at a low risk for vision loss and specifically involved the adnexa (43.7%) and cornea (27.2%).
The authors reported an overall 26.1% decrease of injuries from 2006 to 2014, which was greatest for children between 15 and 17 years of age and for mechanisms involving chemical or thermal burns (decrease of 62.3%), guns (decrease of 60.9%) and vehicles (decrease of 59.8%). Conversely, an increase was noted in sport-related injuries, ball sports in particular, and domestic activities such as animal care.
These trends, according to the authors, may reflect the positive effect of prevention approaches, upgrade in vehicle protection standards and improved legislation regarding vehicle safety as well as restricted access and safe storage of firearms. They may also reflect a shift in children’s use of free time, with increased engagement in indoor, sedentary activities.
“When we evaluated this trend relative to mechanisms of injury, we found that there were greater declines in injuries, particularly those at high risk for vision loss, relative to motor vehicle crashes and guns. While this is correlation, not causation, it suggests that prevention strategies centered around motor vehicle and gun safety have been effective,” co-author Julie Leonard, MD, MPH, told Primary Care Optometry News.
“There were, however, increases in ocular injuries due to household activities, particularly animal care and sports and recreation,” she continued. “These increases should guide investigators to evaluate prevention efforts geared at educating parents regarding household risk factors for vision loss, particularly among young children, such as restricting access to caustic substances and supervision around dogs. Relating to sports and recreation ocular injuries, eye protection, particularly use of polycarbonate lenses, have been demonstrated to reduce injuries. However, there are few policies is place mandating eye protection in youth sports.” – by Michela Cimberle
Disclosure: None of the authors reported a relevant financial disclosure.
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