title: Epidemiology and aetiology of childhood ocular trauma in the Republic of Suriname.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the epidemiology and aetiology of ocular trauma in school-aged children who previously visited the Suriname Eye Centre (SEC) of the Academic Hospital Paramaribo.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a hospital-based retrospective study, all cases of children who were school aged (8-15 years) at the time of the survey and previously underwent evaluation and/or treatment at the SEC because of ocular trauma were analysed. Demographic and ophthalmologic data were taken out of patient records; eye injuries were classified using the Birmingham Eye Trauma Terminology classification system. Main outcome measures were type of injury, mechanism/cause of injury, final visual acuity (VA), hospitalization, patient delay and patient compliance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five hundred and thirty-eight records were analysed which included 35 open globe injuries (OGI) (7%), 458 closed globe injuries (85%), five orbital fractures (1%) and 40 eyelid injuries (7%). The most frequent causes of trauma represented body parts (18%) and sticks or branches (13%) and resulted from poking (20%) or punching (13%) the eye. Final VA < 6/60 was reported in 58% of registered OGI. Where living in rural areas (p = 0.007), OGI (p < 0.0001) and poor compliance to scheduled check-ups (p < 0.0001) were statistically significantly related to an unfavourable outcome, patient delay was not. Patients having OGI were more often hospitalized than children with other injuries (p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study providing data on childhood ocular trauma in Suriname. As the majority of childhood injuries were avoidable, new policies should aim at developing effective, targeted preventive strategies to promote awareness, parental supervision, immediate action and compliance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|Suriname Eye Centre, Academic Hospital Paramaribo, Paramaribo, Suriname.
authors.forename: Janna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Minderhoud
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ruth M A
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: van Nispen
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Astrid A A M
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Heijthuijsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Victoria A A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Beunders
authors.affiliation: Suriname Eye Centre, Academic Hospital Paramaribo, Paramaribo, Suriname.
authors.forename: Anne-Marie T
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bueno de Mesquita-Voigt
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Annette C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Moll
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Anton de Kom University of Suriname, Paramaribo, Suriname.
authors.forename: Dennis R A
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Mans
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Peerooz
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saeed
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006782:Hospitals, Special; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009885:Ophthalmology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013532:Suriname / Q000453:epidemiology; D014792:Visual Acuity
keywords: Suriname; epidemiology; ocular trauma; paediatric ophthalmology