Abstract
Objective: To describe the epidemiology of ocular injury and proportion of blindness due to ocular
injury in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods: A prospective hospital based observational study of all patients with ocular injury seen
in the hospital under the care of ophthalmologists during June-July 2012. The population of Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia represented the population at risk of injury. Data on the type and mechanism of injury,
demographic profile of the patients, and clinical presentation were documented using a uniform and
validated datasheet. Visual acuity (VA) at presentation and details of slit lamp examination were noted.
The injury was classified by Birmingham Eye Trauma Terminology System.
Results: A total of 254 patients and 265 eyes were included in the study. There was 26.4% open globe
injury. Most injuries occurred on male (73.6%, p<0.001), with the peak age of 21-30 years. Common
cause of injury was blunt object (27.2%) followed by wooden sharp object (18.5%). Some 34.3% of
patients at this time had a blinding outcome in the injured eye (Visual acuity less than 3/60). Ocular
injury commonly occurred at home among female (62.7%) and at work place among male (38%)
(P<0.001). Blindness due to eye injury was associated with rural residence (p<0.001) and male gender
(p<0.016). The odds ratio of blindness among open globe injury eyes was 25.02 (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Open globe injury is a significant cause of monocular blindness in Addis Ababa.
Recommendation: Preventive activities should target the risk groups at home and work place.
References
McCarty CA, Rao GN. Ocular trauma in an urban
population in southern India: the Andhra Pradesh
Eye Disease Study. Clinical & Exper Ophthalmol.
Oct;28(5):350-6. PubMed PMID: 11097281.
Krishnaiah S, Nirmalan PK, Shamanna BR,
Srinivas M, Rao GN, Thomas R. Ocular trauma
in a rural population of southern India: the Andhra
Pradesh Eye Disease Study. Ophthalmology. 2006
Jul;113(7):1159-64. PubMed PMID: 16815400.
Vats S, Murthy GV, Chandra M, Gupta SK, Vashist
P, Gogoi M. Epidemiological study of ocular
trauma in an urban slum population in Delhi, India.
Indian J Ophthalmol. 2008 Jul-Aug;56(4):313-6.
PubMed PMID: 18579991. Pubmed Central
PMCID: 2636163.
Tesfaye A, Bejiga A. Ocular injuries in a rural
Ethiopian community. East Afr Med J. 2008
Dec;85(12):593-6. PubMed PMID: 19413215.
Negussie D, Bejiga A. Ocular emergencies
presenting to Menelik II Hospital. Ethiopian Med J.
Jan;49(1):17-24. PubMed PMID: 21456468.
Bejiga A. Causes and visual outcomes of perforating
ocular injuries among Ethiopian patients.
Community eye health / International Centre for
Eye Health. 2001;14(39):45-6. PubMed PMID:
Pubmed Central PMCID: 1705940.
Negrel AD, Thylefors B. The global impact of eye
injuries. Ophthalmic Epidem. 1998 Sep;5(3):143-
PubMed PMID: 9805347.
Cao H, Li L, Zhang M. Epidemiology of
patients hospitalized for ocular trauma in the
Chaoshan region of China, 2001-2010. PloS one.
;7(10):e48377. PubMed PMID: 23118997.
Pubmed Central PMCID: 3485239.
Feist RM, Farber MD. Ocular trauma epidemiology.
Archives of Ophthal. 1989; Apr;107(4):503-4.
PubMed PMID: 2705915.
Coody D, Banks JM, Yetman RJ, Musgrove K. Eye
trauma in children: epidemiology, management,
and prevention. J Pediat Health Care: official
publication of National Association of Pediatric
Nurse Associates & Practitioners. 1997 Jul-
Aug;11(4):182-8. PubMed PMID: 9281967.
Wong TY, Lincoln A, Tielsch JM, Baker SP. The
epidemiology of ocular injury in a major US
automobile corporation. Eye. 1998;12 ( Pt 5):870-
PubMed PMID: 10070526.
Cillino S, Casuccio A, Di Pace F, Pillitteri F,
Cillino G. A five-year retrospective study of
the epidemiological characteristics and visual
outcomes of patients hospitalized for ocular trauma
in a Mediterranean area. BMC ophthalmology.
;8:6. PubMed PMID: 18430231. Pubmed
Central PMCID: PMC2387139. Epub 2008/04/24.
eng.
Khatry SK, Lewis AE, Schein OD, Thapa MD,
Pradhan EK, Katz J. The epidemiology of ocular
trauma in rural Nepal. The Brit J Ophthal. 2004
Apr;88(4):456-60. PubMed PMID: 15031153.
Pubmed Central PMCID: PMC1772092. Epub
/03/20. eng.
Soliman MM, Macky TA. Pattern of ocular
trauma in Egypt. Graefe’s archive for clinical
and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von
Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle
Ophthalmologie. 2008 Feb;246(2):205-12.
PubMed PMID: 18071733.
Abraham DI, Vitale SI, West SI, Isseme I.
Epidemiology of eye injuries in rural Tanzania.
Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 1999 Jun;6(2):85-94.
PubMed PMID: 10420208.
Onakpoya OH, Adeoye A, Adeoti CO, Ajite K.
Epidemiology of ocular trauma among the elderly
in a developing country. Ophthalmic Epidemiol.
Oct;17(5):315-20. PubMed PMID: 20868258.
Woo JH, Sundar G. Eye injuries in Singapore--
don’t risk it. Do more. A prospective study. Annals
of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore. 2006
Oct;35(10):706-18. PubMed PMID: 17102895.
McCarty CA, Fu CL, Taylor HR. Epidemiology of
ocular trauma in Australia. Ophthalmology. 1999
Sep;106(9):1847-52. PubMed PMID: 10485561.