Chemical and Thermal Ocular Burns in Children: A Retrospective Single-Center Study of Etiology, Clinical Characteristics, and Outcomes

Ewa Toruńska,1 Piotr Engelgardt,1 Maria Szwajkowska,2 Maciej Tomasz Krzyżanowski1 1Department of Pathomorphology and Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland; 2Department of Head and Neck Surgery in the Field of Ophthalmology of the Regional Specialized Children’s Hospital in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, PolandCorrespondence: Ewa Toruńska, Department of Pathomorphology and Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, al. Warszawska 30, Olsztyn, 10-082, Poland, Email [email protected]: Ocular burns represent an ophthalmic emergency that can result in extensive damage and long-term visual impairment. The objective of this study was to compare the characteristics of chemical and thermal ocular burns in children.Methods: The retrospective review of medical records from 2016– 2023 was conducted in the Regional Specialized Children’s Hospital in Olsztyn, Poland. The study included patients up to 18 years old admitted to the hospital with ocular burns. The cases were divided based on burn type – chemical/thermal. The visual impairment was divided according to the ICD-10. A detailed comparative analysis of injuries by burn type was then performed.Results: Ocular burns occurred most frequently in children under 5 years old and over 15 years old. Most cases involved chemical burns (17 cases – 70.83%), with predominance of alkalis (8 cases – 47.06%). Cigarettes were the most common cause of thermal burns. The most severe cases, in which visual acuity was assessed as moderate and severe, involved thermal burns in children aged 15– 18 years. The conjunctival irrigation was not performed in most cases including visual impairment.Conclusion: More severe visual impairment was observed in selected cases of thermal burns, while documentation of early irrigation was often absent among children with decreased visual acuity. The interpretation is limited by the small sample size, retrospective design, and incomplete follow-up data.Keywords: ocular burn, chemical burns, thermal burns, visual impairment, children