Chemical eye injuries: presentation and management difficulties.
OBJECTIVE
To review the pattern of presentation and management difficulty of patients with ocular chemical bums.


METHODS
Retrospective study of all patients with ocular burns seen over 8-year period (March 1998-April 2006) in the eye clinic as well as the plastic and reconstructive surgery unit of our hospital. Case files were retrieved and relevant information extracted and analyzed.


RESULTS
There were a total of 23 patients (n=33 eyes) seen in the period under review consisting of 19 males and 4 females. The age ranged from 6-52 years with mean age of 31.87years. The chemical injuries were accidental in 73.9% of the cases and of these 76.5% were work related. The remaining 26.1% resulting from assault were bilateral and led to blindness in all the patients. Main injurious agents were acid and alkali.


CONCLUSIONS
Major cause of chemical injury was work related; although blindness and disability occurred more in the cases of assault. Occupational health issues need a revisit, preparedness of health institutions to take adequate care of people with ocular burns is presently poor.
Adepoju
F G
FG
Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. feyiyemiade@yahoo.com
Adeboye
A
A
Adigun
I A
IA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology