title: [Ocular trauma in an urban Cameroonian setting: A study of 332 cases evaluated according to the Ocular Trauma Score].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of ocular trauma after evaluation with the ocular trauma score at the Army Teaching Hospital in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive and retrospective monocentric hospital study was carried out from January 2008 to December 2010. Our sample included all patients with ocular trauma. Each traumatized eye was evaluated using the ocular trauma score after measurement of visual acuity. The most severe diagnoses observed were classified according to the Birmingham Eye Trauma Terminology system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency out of 364 eyes was 3.56%. There were 204 men (61.44%) with a male/female ratio of 1.59. The mean age was 32.95 years with predominance of 21-30 years. The most affected groups were laborers and craftsmen (28.61%), followed closely by students (23.80%), then armed forces personnel (19.58%). Fights were noted as the most common cause in 31.02% of cases. Punches predominated in 21.39% of cases. In 37.34% of cases, patients were seen within 72 hours of the trauma. Three hundred (90.36%) traumas were unilateral vs. 32 (9.64%) bilateral. The mean visual acuity at the first consultation was 0.3 logMAR. Grading after evaluation was as follows, 13 eyes were grade 1, 19 grade 2, 25 grade 3, 54 grade 4 and 253 grade 5. Fragile and exposed anatomical structures were the most commonly injured. Seventeen eyes exhibited elevated IOP (22 to 45) vs. 7 which were hypotonous. Two hundred and one (55.22%) oculo-palpebral contusions were noted, followed by 110 (30.22%) lacerations. Visual loss was reported in 16.20% and blindness in 8.79% of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the emergent setting, a good, timely clinical evaluation of each case according to the ocular trauma score may lead to effective management.
authors.affiliation: Faculté de médecine et des sciences biomédicales, université de Yaoundé I, BP 12974, Yaoundé, Cameroun; Hôpital d'instruction et d'application des armées de Yaoundé, BP 12974, Yaoundé, Cameroun. Electronic address: kok2002g@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koki
authors.affiliation: Faculté de médecine et des sciences biomédicales, université de Yaoundé I, BP 12974, Yaoundé, Cameroun.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Epée
authors.affiliation: Faculté de médecine et des sciences pharmaceutiques, université de Douala, carrefour Ange-Raphaël, Douala, Cameroun.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Omgbwa Eballe
authors.affiliation: Faculté de médecine et des sciences biomédicales, université de Yaoundé I, BP 12974, Yaoundé, Cameroun.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ntyame
authors.affiliation: Faculté de médecine et des sciences biomédicales, université de Yaoundé I, BP 12974, Yaoundé, Cameroun.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mbogos Nsoh
authors.affiliation: Faculté de médecine et des sciences biomédicales, université de Yaoundé I, BP 12974, Yaoundé, Cameroun.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Bella
authors.affiliation: Faculté de médecine et des sciences biomédicales, université de Yaoundé I, BP 12974, Yaoundé, Cameroun.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ebana Mvogo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014505:Urban Population; D014792:Visual Acuity; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Blindness; Cécité; Ocular Trauma Score; Ocular trauma; Traumatisme oculaire