Predictors of traumatic eye injuries at high-risk for ophthalmic complications in children

Eye injuries are important cause of ocular morbidity in children. There is lack of data regarding predictors for high-risk injuries that will result in ophthalmic complications. Most cases are managed by the emergency department (ED) physicians without immediate ophthalmologist evaluation. Our aim was to identify predictors for ophthalmological complications and to imply indications for early ophthalmologic consultation in the ED. A retrospective chart review of 834 patients ages 0–18 years who presented to the emergency department at Tel Aviv Medical Center between 2015 and 2018 following traumatic eye injuries was performed. All cases which later needed ophthalmological care were considered as high-risk for ophthalmic complications. An increased rate of eye injury was revealed over the years, but high-risk injury rate was stable. High-velocity mechanism, sport injury, orbital, anterior chamber, and retinal involvement were all significantly more common in the high-risk group compared to the low risk group. Only 10 patients, which represent 1.2% of all the patients, had decreased visual acuity on the last follow up, with significantly more injuries of high-velocity mechanism and anterior chamber involvement, in comparison to patients with normal visual acuity on the last follow up.

Conclusion: High-velocity mechanism by itself, even with normal visual acuity and eye examination by the ED physician, should prompt to consider an urgent ophthalmologist consult.