title: Pediatric eye injuries presenting to United States emergency departments: 2001-2007.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The epidemiology of pediatric eye injuries is not well-documented. This study describes the characteristics of non-fatal eye injuries in pediatric patients (<18 years of age) presenting to United States (US) emergency departments (EDs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study utilizing the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System All Injury Program (NEISS-AIP) from 2001 to 2007 to perform a descriptive analysis of eye injury case information for patients <18 years of age, including demographic variables, locales, diagnoses, causes, and hospital disposition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2001-2007, an estimated 1,048,500 (95% confidence interval [CI] 878,198-1,218,801) ED visits for eye injury occurred among children less than 18 years of age, representing a rate of 14.31 per 1,000 children. Males accounted for 61.75% (CI 541,971-752,839) of visits. The rate of eye injury was highest in the 15-17 year old age group (18.74 per 1,000 children; CI 199,224-267,132). The most common diagnosis was contusion/abrasion (53.68%; CI 468,035-657,638). The most frequent cause of eye injury was being struck by or against an object (56.63%; CI 491,760-695,758). The majority of injuries occurred at home (65.84%; CI 382,443-588,416) and took place during the spring and summer (39.26%; CI 343,535-479,888).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that the risk for pediatric eye injuries is highest for adolescents 15-17 years of age and at home. Further research is needed to determine risk and protective factors associated with injuries in this age group and location to design appropriate prevention strategies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Ophthalmology, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Grayson W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: Julia G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: James G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Linakis
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Mello
authors.forename: Paul B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Greenberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010372:Pediatrics; D062486:Public Health Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology