Analysis on sports and recreation activity-related eye injuries presenting to the Emergency Department.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the incidence and general characteristics of sports-related eye injuries in patients visiting the Emergency Department.


METHODS
A cross-sectional, multi-center, observational study. Patients with an injured eye who visited the Emergency Department at one of nine hospitals in Korea were enrolled. All data were prospectively collected between March and September 2010 using a questionnaire. Eye injuries that occurred during risky sports were examined by gender and age. Additionally, the rate of open globe injuries that occurred with and without protective eyewear was examined for each activity. Continuous variables were compared using Student'st-test and categorical variables were compared using Chi-square test.


RESULTS
A total of 446 patients had sports-related eye injuries. Teenagers (10-19 years old) and young adults (20-29 years old) had the most eye injuries. Eye injuries accounted for 0.2% of Emergency Department patients. Baseball was the most common cause of sports-related eye injuries, followed by soccer and hiking. Protective gear was worn by 9.4% of all patients. Patients that were 30-39 years of age had the highest rate of protective gear use, followed by patients that were 40-49 years of age. The proportion of sports-related eye injuries that were open-globe injuries was highest for soccer and hiking.


CONCLUSIONS
Although injuries were most common in patients below the age of 10 years, these patients had the lowest rate of protective eyewear use. Injuries in adults over 40 years of age most commonly occurred during hiking, but the rate of protective eyewear use was low. Young athletes should be educated on and provided with protective eyewear and policies protective gear use should be established. For older adults, eye protection should be encouraged, especially during hiking.
Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 700-721, Korea.
Sungbae
S
Moon
Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 700-721, Korea.
Hyun Wook
HW
Ryoo
Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 700-721, Korea.
Jae Yun
JY
Ahn
Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 700-721, Korea.
Jung Bae
JB
Park
Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 700-721, Korea.
Kang Suk
KS
Seo
Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 110-799, Korea.
Sang Do
SD
Shin
Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 110-799, Korea.
Kyoung Jun
KJ
Song
Department of Emergency Medicine, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon-do 220-701, Korea.
Kang Hyun
KH
Lee
Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 301-747, Korea.
In Sool
IS
Yoo
Department of Emergency Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon 406-799, Korea.
Jin Seong
JS
Cho
Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 501-746, Korea.
Hyun Ho
HH
Ryu
Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do 561-180, Korea.
Tae Oh
TO
Jeong
Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Busan 602-739, Korea.
Seok Ran
SR
Yeom
Korean Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do 361-951, Korea.
Young Taek
YT
Kim
Korean Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do 361-951, Korea.
Sung Ok
SO
Hong
athletic injuries; eye injuries; protective devices; sports