Domestic ocular and adnexal injuries in Nigerians.
A study of domestic ocular and adnexal injuries over an 18 month period at the Guiness Eye Centre Onitsha showed that they constitute 26.4% of all cases of ocular trauma. Women and children were at a greater risk of sustaining eye injuries from domestic activities. The activities leading to injuries in the 45 patients studied were fight, children's play, chopping firewood, plucking fruits/vegetables and corporal punishment; the injuries were inflicted by self; playmates, siblings, parents and husbands; the agents of injury were fist, missibles, sticks and other sharp objects, exploding bottles and human bite. Most patients presented more than one week after injury. Only 18 patients (40%) kept follow-up appointment. Among these visual acuity improved in 11 while 5 remained blind. The importance of these epidemiologic characteristics in relation to prevention of such injuries and reduction of ocular morbidity in established cases are discussed.
Nwosu
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Nnammdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi, Nigeria.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity