title: Epidemiological and social aspects of perforating eye injuries.
abstract: The epidemiology of 387 consecutive perforating eye injuries (PEI) treated at the Helsinki University Eye Hospital in 1980-1986 was evaluated. Eighty-six percent of patients were males. The age group of 16-45 years predominated among males, 0-15 years among females. The mean age of all patients was 33.7 years. Forty percent of the male injuries were occupational, 38% domestic and 11% caused by assault. The corresponding figures for females were 9%, 53% and 23%, respectively. The occupation groups most often associated with accidents at work were construction (42%) and industry (30%). Five percent of all PEIs were caused by traffic accidents, and 3% were sports-related. After treatment 91% of the economically active patients were able to return to their pre-accident work, 4% had to change profession, and 5% became permanently disabled and unable to work.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Punnonen
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D015807:Eye Injuries, Penetrating / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000453:epidemiology