AI Article Synopsis

  • Eye injuries in Germany range from minor to severe, with significant potential for permanent visual impairment; current epidemiological data on the topic is limited.
  • This study aimed to objectively document the occurrence of eye injuries, particularly those related to fireworks, by analyzing hospital quality reports from 2008 to 2022 using R programming for data processing.
  • Findings revealed that the most common eye injuries are contusions (up to 2,500 cases annually), while severe cases like globe rupture are also notable; overall, eye injuries are declining, and firework-related incidents contribute to a significant portion of these injuries.

Article Abstract

Background: Eye injuries range from minor to severe and may lead to permanent visual impairment. There is still little in the way of epidemiological data on eye injuries in Germany.

Aim: The aim of this study was to obtain an objective record of minor and severe eye injuries in Germany by evaluating hospital quality reports. We also investigated the relevance of injuries from fireworks in relation to the total number of eye injuries and the general population.

Methods: This retrospective routine data study entailed analysing hospital quality reports from 2008 to 2022 in XML format. The R programming language was used for data processing and statistical analysis. The number of ICD-coded eye injuries was exported and analysed together with location data. We also included data from a prospective survey study on fireworks-related eye injuries from 2016 to 2023.

Results: Eyeball and/or orbital contusions are the most common eye injuries treated in Germany at up to 2,500 cases per year. The most severe injuries comprise traumatic globe rupture with loss of intraocular tissue at up to 990 cases per year. Numbers of eye injuries of any type have been declining since 2020. As a percentage of population, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania treats the most eye injuries at up to 0.017%; in absolute numbers, North Rhine-Westphalia leads the country at up to 1,600 injuries. Private firework displays are probably responsible for 1.4% of annual globe ruptures and 8.3% of eyeball contusions.

Conclusion: Our analysis of hospital quality reports has provided the first comprehensive epidemiological record on eye injuries in Germany. Firework-related injuries account for a relevant proportion of total injuries. These results could serve as a basis for preventive measures and health policy decisions.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/a-2364-2461DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

eye injuries
40
hospital quality
16
quality reports
16
injuries
15
eye
11
2008 2022
8
analysis hospital
8
minor severe
8
injuries germany
8
cases year
8

Similar Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the trends and characteristics of ocular trauma research published from 2000 to 2022 to delineate the trajectory of the field's research, provide information about the network of key contributors, and help determine future research strategies and direction.

Methods: Web of Science was queried for published works using a series of keywords relating to ocular trauma: "globe rupture", "ruptured globe", "globe injury", "ocular trauma", "intraocular foreign body", "eye trauma", "eye injury", and "traumatic endophthalmitis". All article information was compiled using the VOSviewer software.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: The aim of the present study is to examine the demographic data and clinical features of ocular surface injuries due to thermal burns and to evaluate LSCD in the light of global consensus.

Methods: Thirty-three eyes of 20 cases with ocular surface injury due to thermal burn who attended to the clinic between 2012 and 2023 were included in the study. LSCD severity was staged according to the global consensus which was published in 2019.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Ocular injuries by less-lethal weapon: a view from Switzerland.

Torture

January 2025

MD. Private practice, Zurich, Switzerland. Correspondence to

Dear Editor-in-chief: Thank you for focussing on this troubling subject in your issue 1/2024. It confirms that many of the difficulties involved are similar worldwide. Countries that use less-lethal weapons include Switzerland, the only Western European democracy besides France to employ multiple kinetic impact projectiles.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Fungal keratitis can develop after plant injury or after prolonged glucocorticoid use. Typical manifestations include corneal infiltrates, satellite lesions, plaques, and an immune ring. Some cases exhibit atypical signs, requiring reliance on etiological examination.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Approximately 3% of individuals in road traffic accidents suffer ocular injuries. We present a case of a man in his late 80s who presented with bilateral corneal decompensation following airbag deployment during a road traffic accident. Ocular examination revealed multilevel ocular injury with severe bilateral corneal oedema.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!