Trends in Eye Removal Surgeries at a Tertiary Care Hospital Over Three Decades.

Purpose: To determine the trends in eye removal surgeries at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria over 26 years.

Methods: A retrospective comparative review of clinical records of all patients who had eye removal surgery at a tertiary hospital in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, between 2014 and 2019 was done. Patients' demographic and clinical data, including indication for eye removal and type of surgery were analysed and compared with two earlier studies at the same hospital between 1994 and 2013.

Results: There was an average of 14.3 surgeries per year between 2014 and 2019. Patients' ages ranged from 2 to 102 years, M:F was 1.5:1, the commonest indication for eye removal was infection (n=30, 34.9%), and the most common surgery was evisceration (n=70, 81.4%). Studies from 1994 to 2003 and 2005 to 2013, reported an average of 9.2 and 10 surgeries per year; ages ranging from 4 days to 88 years and 3 months to 88 years; with a M:F of 2.1:1 and 3.4:1 respectively. In both studies, the commonest indication for eye removal was trauma (43.4% and 43.8% respectively) and the most common surgery was enucleation (57.6% and 55% respectively). Trend data showed a progressive increase in eye infections (12% vs 15% vs 34.9%) and eviscerations (19.6% vs 31.2% vs 81.4%) over time.

Conclusion: There was a change in trend towards an increase in eviscerations and infective indications for eye removal at the hospital over three decades. Prompt and optimal treatment of orbito-ocular infections is recommended to reduce the incidence of eye removal surgeries.