Epidemiology and Management of Oculoplastic Disorders at a Tertiary Hospital: A 4-Year Review.

Purpose: To describe the epidemiology and management of oculoplastic disorders at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria.

Methods: This was a retrospective review of patients with oculoplastic disorders at the Department of Ophthalmology, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, IleIfe, Nigeria from January 2013 to December 2016. The general ophthalmology service records were reviewed to identify patients with oculoplastic disorders. Data retrieved from patient records included date of initial visit, age at presentation, gender, oculoplastic diagnosis and aetiology, modality of treatment given, and indications for patient referrals.

Results: There were 563 (7.4%) patients with oculoplastic disorders, out of 7,575 ophthalmology department patients. They had 573 oculoplastic disorders in all. There were 281 (49.9%) males and 282 (50.1%) females. The median age at presentation was 28 years (range, 1 day to 100 years). Eyelid laceration (n=68; 11.9%) and chalazion (n=63; 11%) were the commonest disorders. Trauma (n=125; 21.8%) was the commonest aetiology, followed by inflammatory (n=121; 21.1%) and infective (n=108; 18.8%) causes. There were 162 (28.3%) surgical interventions; eyelid repair (n=67; 41.4%) was the commonest, followed by evisceration (n=25; 15.4%), and excisional biopsy (n=25; 15.4%). No patient had ptosis or lacrimal surgery. Orbital disorders (n=21; 42.9%) were the commonest indication for a referral elsewhere.

Conclusion: Eyelid laceration was the commonest oculoplastic disorder, trauma was the commonest aetiology, and eyelid repair was the commonest oculoplastic surgery done. Further training in oculoplastics with emphasis on ptosis, lacrimal and orbital surgery, as well as the provision of equipment needed for optimal oculoplastic service delivery are recommended.