Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of pediatric globe injuries

Aims: The aim of this study was to perform a retrospective analysis of the outcomes of childhood globe injuries diagnosed and treated at our hospital. Methods: A retrospective review of the medical records of patients under 18 years of age, diagnosed and treated for globe injuries, was conducted at our clinic. Globe injuries were categorized into open globe injuries (OGI) and closed globe injuries (CGI). Visual acuity scores were converted into LogMAR units for standardization. Results: A total of 29 pediatric cases were included in the study. Of these, 23 were male (79.3%) and 6 were female (20.7%). The mean age was 10.2±4.1 years. Following trauma, OGI occurred in 17 cases (58.6%), while CGI occurred in 12 cases (41.4%). The initial mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.96±1.05 logMAR, and the mean BCVA at the last follow-up visit was 0.18±0.52 logMAR for all cases (p=0.001). Contusion (91.7%) was the predominant injury type in CGI cases, while penetrating injury (58.8%) was the most common type of OGI. Pencil tips, wood, glass, and plastic objects were the leading causes of globe injuries. Hyphema, traumatic cataract, and iris prolapse were the most frequent associated findings. Conclusion: Although many globe injuries in children can be prevented, they still have the potential to lead to significant physical and psychological consequences. The findings of our study may contribute to a deeper understanding of the patterns of eye injuries in children.