Epidemiological Characteristics of Paediatric Eye Injuries in a Large Metropolitan City in South Korea: A Multicentre, Prospective Study

ABSTRACT

Purpose

The aim of this study was to identify the epidemiological characteristics of paediatric eye injury in a large metropolitan city based on age group and sex.

Methods

This prospective, multicentre, observational study used data extracted from the eye injury registry for tertiary teaching hospitals in Daegu, South Korea, between August 2016 and July 2018. Children aged < 16 years were classified as infants, pre-schoolers, school children, and adolescents based on their age group.

Results

This study included 502 patients; most eye injuries occurred among boys (n = 349, 69.5%) and school children (n = 168, 33.5%). Unstructured play (n = 268, 53.4%) was the most common cause of eye injury, followed by sports (n = 69, 13.7%) and home activities (n = 52, 10.4%). Among adolescent boys, eye injuries were mostly caused by sports activities (n = 49, 37.7%), including soccer and basketball. Only 1 out of 69 children wore protective eyewear during sports activities. Eye injuries occurred most often in school (n = 63, 41.2%) during adolescence and at home (n = 270, 53.8%) in most other age groups.

Conclusion

Eye injuries were more common in boys. Boys and girls had relatively higher proportion of eye injuries during sports and home activities, respectively. In infants to school children, eye injuries mainly occurred at home and by unstructured play, whereas in adolescents, they mostly occurred at school and during sports activities. To prevent eye injuries sustained during sports in adolescents, wearing personal protective equipment during high-risk exercise in schools or sports facilities is recommended.

KEYWORDS:

• Children
• epidemiology
• eye injuries
• Republic of Korea

Acknowledgments

None.

Financial support

This research was supported by a grant from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency [2016E3300500] and Daegu Metropolitan City.

Disclosure of interests

None of the authors has any proprietary interests or conflicts of interest related to this submission.

Disclosures

This submission has not been published anywhere previously and is not simultaneously being considered for any other publication.

Geolocation information

South Korea.

Data availability statement

The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [2016E3300500] and Daegu Metropolitan City.