title: Epidemiologic Trends of Chemical Ocular Burns in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Determining the national epidemiologic trends of chemical ocular burns can assist physicians and policy makers in appropriate allocation of resources for treatment and prevention.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the epidemiologic trends and risk factors for chemical burns of the eye.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between August 1, 2015, and April 25, 2016, data from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample were analyzed from January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2013. A sample of 900 emergency departments (EDs) across the United States was used. Patients presenting to EDs with a diagnosis of alkali or acid ocular burn, chemical conjunctivitis, or a combination of nonspecific ocular chemical burn and chemical poisoning or toxic effects were eligible for inclusion. Injured patients' age, sex, primary health care insurance, income quartile, and other demographics were described. A subset consisting of those injuries identified as alkaline or acidic burns was further characterized.
  
  
  METHODS
  Age-specific rates of ED presentation for chemical ocular burn injuries, independent factors associated with all, alkali, and acid injuries, and total ED-associated charges.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2013, a total of 144 149 chemical ocular burns were diagnosed at EDs nationwide. Men represented 56.6% of all cases (n = 81 496). Median age was 32 years, with female patients presenting at a younger age than male patients (median of 32 vs 34 years; P < .001). Injury rates were highest among children aged 1 to 2 years (28.61 and 23.49 injuries per 100 000 population, respectively). Adults aged between 18 and 64 years also have these injuries at an increased rate, although this rate was half that of infants (mean, 13.28 per 100 000 population). Alkali injuries were more common than acid injuries (53.6% [n = 9137; 95% CI, 51.6%-56.0%] vs 46.4% [n = 7909; 95% CI, 44.0%-48.9%]), and all chemical eye injuries most commonly occur in residential locations (10.3% [n = 14 772]; 95% CI, 9.6%-10.9%) and among individuals in the first and second (lowest and second-lowest) income quartiles (≤$48 749) (56.0% [n = 80 691]; 95% CI, 54.4%-57.7%). Injuries most commonly occurred among those who had private health care insurance (31.9% [n = 45 900]; 95% CI, 30.9%-32.9%), and occurred more in the South (36.8% [n = 53 008]; 95% CI, 34.6%-39.1%). Emergency department charges due to these injuries totaled $106.7 million.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Young children represent the single highest-risk group for ocular chemical injuries. Education and other interventions concerned with preventing these injuries will be most effective if used accordingly.
authors.affiliation: Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts2Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland3Johns Hopkins Surgery Center for Outcomes Research, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: R Sterling
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Haring
authors.affiliation: Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts4currently a medical student, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City.
authors.forename: Isaac D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Sheffield
authors.affiliation: Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Roomasa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Channa
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland3Johns Hopkins Surgery Center for Outcomes Research, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Joseph K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Canner
authors.affiliation: Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts2Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland3Johns Hopkins Surgery Center for Outcomes Research, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Eric B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult