title: Surfboard-related eye injuries in New South Wales: a 1-year prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the incidence of surfboard-related eye injuries (SREIs) in New South Wales in 1 year.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective questionnaire-based study of SREIs through reporting on injuries, treatment and outcomes by ophthalmologists and ophthalmology trainees in NSW and by patients of all ages with any SREIs on risk factors for SREIs that occurred between 30 December 2010 and 30 December 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  Incidence, nature and severity of SREIs, defined as any injury to the eye, orbit or eyelid caused by a surfboard.
  
  
  RESULTS
  10 cases of SREIs were reported. Eight patients were male. The mean age of injured patients was 35.4 years. Two of the patients were children. Patients often had a combination of ophthalmic injuries. There were two globe ruptures, four fractured orbits, one case of fibreglass foreign bodies in the orbit and six eyelid lacerations. SREIs were caused by all sharp projections of the surfboard including the nose, fins and tail.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirms that surfing carries a small risk of eye trauma and helps to describe and quantify SREIs. A fifth of the SREIs we report were severe. Surfboard modification and protective eyewear may help reduce the risk of SREIs.
authors.affiliation: Save Sight Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia. rafg@bigpond.com.
authors.forename: Juliette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Howden
authors.affiliation: Sydney Hospital and Sydney Eye Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Danks
authors.affiliation: Save Sight Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McCluskey
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gillett
authors.affiliation: Save Sight Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Raf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ghabrial
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D022125:Lacerations / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D009917:Orbital Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013177:Sports; D055815:Young Adult