Seasonal variation in ocular injury in a tertiary health center in Benin city

• Main Authors: Valentina W Okeigbemen, Vivian B Osaguona
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2013-01-01
• Series: Sahel Medical Journal
• Subjects: Ocular injury; seasonal variation; Okeigbemen
• Online Access: http://www.smjonline.org/article.asp?issn=1118-8561;year=2013;volume=16;issue=1;spage=10;epage=14;aulast=Okeigbemen

Background: Ocular trauma is the commonest cause of unilateral blindness. This study aims to determine the seasonal variation in the prevalence and pattern of ocular injury in a tertiary hospital in Benin, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A 3-year retrospective study was carried out in the eye department of University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, from January 2009 to December 2011. The information retrieved included age, gender, occupation, type of injury, cause of injury, mechanism of injury, place where injury occurred, month of occurrence, treatment, and initial and final visual acuity. Results: A total of 125 patients made up of 90 (72%) males and 35 (28%) females with a male to female ratio of 2.6:1 were seen. The age range of the patients was from 7 months to 70 years, with a mean age of 25.92 ± 18.16 years (SD). One hundred and twenty-nine eyes were affected with bilateral involvement in 4 patients. The commonest mechanism was blunt injury in 50.4% of the patients. The prevalence of ocular injury was observed to rise from April, peak in June, and there after decline. The second cluster started from October, continued through November to January, and began to decline. Majority of the eye injuries were lacerations (46.4%). Home injuries constituted 31.2%. Conclusion: There is a great need to be more safety-conscious at home and during play. Public enlightenment programs should aim at increasing awareness during the months ocular injury tends to occur.