title: Sports-related eye injuries: the current picture.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to represent the epidemiologies, findings, treatments, use of resources, outcomes and protective-eyewear-use recommendations in sports-related eye injuries by sport type.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population is comprised of all new eye injury patients in 1 year in Helsinki University Eye Hospital. Data were collected from patient questionnaires and hospital records. The follow-up period was 3 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  149/1151 (12.9%) of eye injuries were sports-related. Thirty two percent were related to floorball (type of hockey played on a mat with a stick and a ball); football, tennis and ice hockey were the next most common eye-injury-causing sports. Relatively, the most dangerous sports were rink bandy, (bandy played on ice hockey rink with a stick and a ball) (0.50 injuries in 12 months/1000 participants, CI 0.10-1.46), floorball (0.47, CI 0.34-0.62) and tennis (0.47, CI 0.26-0.77). Contusion was the primary diagnosis in 77% of cases; 41% of contusion patients had severe, mainly retinal findings. The number of outpatient visits was 459; inpatient days 25 and major surgeries 31. One hundred and eight patients were estimated to need life-long follow-up. Seventeen patients had a permanent functional impairment, 4 in ice hockey, 3 in floorball, 2 each in tennis and badminton.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared to a previous study, ice hockey eye injuries are increasing and relatively severe, and a third of these injuries occurred despite visor use. Floorball eye injury incidence has significantly declined, mainly due to recently enforced mandatory protective eyewear for younger age groups. Based on these findings, we recommend, in floorball, that protective eyewear should be mandatory in all age groups. Universally in ice hockey, the proper use of a visor should be emphasised.
authors.affiliation: Helsinki University Eye Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Tiina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Leivo
authors.forename: Anna-Kaisa
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Haavisto
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sahraravand
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D005135:Eye Protective Devices; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D013177:Sports; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: epidemiology; floorball; ice hockey; ocular trauma; outcome; protective eyewear; sports; visor