title: Ocular trauma in patients presenting to Dhulikhel Hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ocular trauma is an important cause of blindness and ocular morbidity throughout the world. Prevalence studies help to define the target group, plan strategies and thereby lessen trauma related blindness in the country.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify the risk factors for ocular trauma, those at risk, describe the visual acuity at time of clinical presentation, and assess the nature and severity of ocular trauma in patients presenting to Dhulikhel Hospital emergency department and eye OPD with ocular trauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  It is a descriptive and prospective study of all the patients with ocular trauma presenting to Dhulikhel Hospital from December 2009 to December 2010. A complete history and detailed ophthalmologic evaluation was done and noted down.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 112 subjects with ocular trauma. Mean age was 28.43+/-16.36 years with a range of one year to 74 years. Males predominated with 72.3% frequency (p less than 0.001). Incidence peaked in third decade of life (p less than 0.01). Ocular trauma peaked in months of September and October. Presenting visual acuity better than 6/12 was noted in 83.9% of cases whereas 2.7% of cases had visual acuity of less than 3/60. Household (56.3%, p less than 0.001) was the commonest place of injury with wooden objects (19.6%) being the commonest object of injury. Most of the injuries were mechanical (85.7%, p>0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Blunt injuries were more common in young males. Household and workplace were common location of ocular injuries. Public awareness and strict legislation to use personal protective devices can help to reduce the occurrence of ocular injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel Hospital, Dhulikhel, Nepal. purnimark@gmail.com
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Sthapit
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marasini
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Khoju
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thapa
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Nepal
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001766:Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009390:Nepal; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity; D055815:Young Adult