title: Characteristics of Open Globe Injuries in Preschool Children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the demographic, etiologic, and clinical characteristics of open globe injuries in preschool children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical files of preschool children who had an operation for an open globe injury from January 2003 to January 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients' demographics and injury characteristics were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study consisted of 44 preschool children with an open globe injury. The mean age was 4.38 ± 1.39 years. Most of the injuries occurred in boys (32/44). All patients were followed up for at least 3 months (mean, 8.47 ± 6.38 months; range, 3-24 months). The mean time between injury and operation was 10.40 ± 5.94 hours. Injuries happened most frequently at home (45.4%), and the most common cause of injury was kitchen items (25%). The final visual acuity could be evaluated only in 21 patients, and 90.4% of them had residual vision deficit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because open globe injuries occur most frequently at home or in the immediate surroundings of the house, higher awareness of parents and child care providers is extremely important to prevent these injuries in preschool children.
authors: From the *Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta; †Department of Ophthalmology, Kartal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul; and ‡Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Inönü University, Malatya, Turkey.
authors: Alime
authors: A
authors: Gunes
authors: Mustafa
authors: M
authors: Kalayc
authors: Oğuzhan
authors: O
authors: Genc
authors: Yusuf
authors: Y
authors: Ozerturk
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015807:Eye Injuries, Penetrating / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology