title: Profile of ocular trauma in the Solomon Islands.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study was to characterize the causes of ocular trauma and determine the risk factors for infection and vision loss following ocular trauma in the Solomon Islands.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective clinic-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 507 patients with ocular trauma who were reviewed at the National Referral Hospital in Honiara or one of five provincial eye clinics were included.
  
  
  METHODS
  An interview-based questionnaire to determine the circumstances of ocular trauma, and an ocular examination to elicit the trauma sustained,infectious sequelae and the visual outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Visual acuity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Males were significantly more likely to have ocular trauma than females (P = 0.01). The major cause of ocular trauma in young boys and girls was being poked by a stick, followed by lime burns in young boys. For both genders, physical violence resulted in most injuries across all adult age groups. Microbial keratitis complicated 4.4% of ocular trauma. Monocular vision impairment (<6/18) occurred in 5.5% of participants and was more likely to occur if female (P = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ocular trauma is a significant cause of visual morbidity in the Solomon Islands. The results from this prospective study provide a basis for planning blindness prevention programmes in the Western Pacific.
authors.forename: Michelle L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: Geoffrey
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Painter
authors.forename: Alex W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Hewitt
authors.forename: F M Amirul
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Szetu
authors.forename: Mundi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qalo
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keeffe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001766:Blindness / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003906:Developing Countries; D015817:Eye Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008542:Melanesia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000517:prevention & control; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult