Ocular injuries from violence treated at an inner-city hospital.
A computerized data base identified 277 patients with violence-related ocular injuries seen during 16 months in an inner-city hospital. They constituted 35% of all patients with ocular injuries during the study period. Their demographics and ocular findings were analyzed. One hundred sixty-seven patients (60%) were black males, 60 (22%) were white males, and 50 (18%) were females (mean age, 29 years). The orbit was injured in 125, the retina/choroid and vitreous in 79, and the optic nerve in ten. Seventeen had penetrating ocular injuries. Nineteen eyes (7%) lost light perception. One hundred forty-six (53%) patients had associated non-ocular injuries, mostly facial fractures. Bludgeons and guns were the weapons most commonly used; theft was the most common motive; drugs and alcohol were prominent in 35 cases. One hundred thirty-three (48%) patients were hospitalized for a mean of 5.5 days and an approximate cost of $975,089.


CONCLUSIONS
the human suffering and economic impact of violence-related ocular injuries are significant.
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 21201.
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Hemady
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015142:Baltimore / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015807:Eye Injuries, Penetrating / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006786:Hospitals, Urban / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*