Ocular trauma in a rural population of southern India: the Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of ocular trauma and proportion of blindness and visual impairment due to ocular trauma in a rural population of southern India.


METHODS
Population-based cross-sectional epidemiological study.


METHODS
A total of 7771 subjects of all ages, representative of the rural population of Andhra Pradesh.


METHODS
The subjects underwent a detailed interview and comprehensive ocular evaluation as part of the population-based Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study.


RESULTS
An eye was considered to be blind due to trauma if best-corrected distance visual acuity was worse than 6/60 and the cause was attributed to ocular trauma.


RESULTS
A total of 824 (10.6%) subjects gave a history of ocular trauma in either eye, including 76 (1.0%) persons reporting trauma in both eyes. The overall age- and gender-adjusted prevalence of history of eye injury in this rural population was 7.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.0%-8.1%). Men were more likely to have an eye injury than women (odds ratio [OR], 2.1 [95% CI, 1.8-2.5]). After adjusting for gender and other demographic factors, ocular trauma was significantly more frequent among laborers (OR, 1.5 [95% CI, 1.2-1.7]) when compared with other occupational groups. After adjusting for gender, injury with vegetable matter such as a thorn, branch of a tree, plant secretion, etc. (n = 373 [45.3%]) was the major cause of trauma reported in this population. The majority of the eye injuries occurred at the workplace (n = 461 [55.9%]), followed by home (n = 179 [21.7%]). The majority of those affected (n = 806 [97.8%]) did not wear any eye protection at the time of trauma. A significant proportion (n = 307 [43.1%]) of subjects who sought treatment for an eye injury went to an ophthalmologist. Trauma was responsible for unilateral blindness in 39 subjects, an age- and gender-adjusted prevalence of 0.6% (95% CI, 0.4%-0.8%).


CONCLUSIONS
Most ocular injuries in this rural population occurred at the workplace, suggesting the need to explore workplace strategies to minimize ocular trauma as a priority. Eye care programs targeting high-risk ocular trauma groups may need to consider ocular trauma as a priority in eye health awareness strategies to reduce blindness due to trauma.
Krishnaiah
Sannapaneni
S
L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, India. krishnaiah@lvpei.org
Nirmalan
Praveen K
PK
Shamanna
Bindiganavale R
BR
Srinivas
Marmamula
M
Rao
Gullapalli N
GN
Thomas
Ravi
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001766:Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data