Prevalence of Ocular Injuries Following Road Traffic Accidents Among Two-Wheeler Riders/Pillions and the Factors Influencing Them Reported in a Tertiary Care Center in Chengalpattu in Tamil Nadu, India

Introduction Road traffic accident-related ocular damage is a serious public health issue that can result in unilateral blindness. Several individual risk factors lead to ocular injury and various levels of visual impairment. Objectives The objective is to assess the demography and pattern of ocular, orbital, and eyelid injuries among motorcycle accident cases attending a medical college and hospital in Chengalpattu district Tamil Nadu India. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted among 67 victims of road traffic accidents who had sustained ocular injuries from October 2023 to June 2024. The selected participants were subjected to a questionnaire regarding the details of the history of events leading to the road traffic accident, and complete ophthalmic examination and radiological investigations were carried out. Informed consent was obtained from all the participants, and in cases where the participant was unable to give consent, informed consent was obtained from their family members. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 21 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Result The majority (76.1%) were male between the age group of 31-40 years, and they were all motor vehicle/cycle riders seated in the front. Most accidents happened in rural (68.7%), highways (52.2%), and the driver being under the influence of alcohol (64.2%). Most of the participants (80.6%) did not use helmets, and 19.4% were using mobile phones while driving. Visual acuity was affected in 57% and 41.8% suffered from orbital floor fracture. About 92.5% of the participants sustained subconjunctival hemorrhage with ecchymosis and 31.34% had lacerations of the upper eyelid with periorbital edema. Among the participants, 9% had a loss of vision due to vitreous hemorrhage and 9% due to Berlin's edema. Conclusion Middle-aged males driving two-wheelers on rural highways, those who did not wear helmets, and those who were under the influence of alcohol were the vulnerable group. It is advised that both front and back-seated persons use safety precautions, such as helmets, and avoid placing the child in front of the rider while driving. Stringent regulations designed to improve conformity to traffic rules are essential in preventing ocular injuries.