title: Epidemiology of patients hospitalized for ocular trauma in the Chaoshan region of China, 2001-2010.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The burden and pattern of ocular trauma in China are poorly known and not well studied. We aimed at studying the epidemiological characteristics of patients hospitalized for ocular trauma at major ophthalmology departments in the largest industrial base of plastic toys in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study of ocular trauma cases admitted to 3 tertiary hospitals in China from 1st January 2001 to 31st December 2010 was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included a total of 3,644 injured eyes from 3,559 patients over the 10-year period: 2,008 (55.1%) open-globe injuries, 1,580 (43.4%) closed-globe injuries, 41 (1.1%) chemical injuries, 15 (0.4%) thermal injuries and 678 (18.6%) ocular adnexal injuries. The mean age of the patients was 29.0±16.8 years with a male-to-female ratio of 5.2∶1 (P = 0.007). The most frequent types of injury were work-related injuries (1,656, 46.5%) and home-related injuries (715, 20.1%). The majority of injuries in males (56.2%) and females (36.0%) occurred in the 15-44 age group and 0-14 age group, respectively. The final visual acuity correlated with the initial visual acuity (Spearman's correlation coefficient = 0.659; P<0.001). The Ocular Trauma Score also correlated with the final visual acuity (Spearman's correlation coefficient = 0.655; P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This analysis provides an epidemiological study of patients who were hospitalized for ocular trauma. Preventive efforts are important for both work-related and home-related eye injuries.
authors.affiliation: Injury Prevention Research Center, Medical College of Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Mingzhi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013997:Time Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity; D055815:Young Adult