Prognostıc factors in perforatıng eye injuries

Aim : İn this study vve aimed at determining the prognostic factors and some risk factors in perforating eye in­ juries which have important role in preventable blindness. Method: VVe retrospectively evaluated data from a total of 157 patients, admitted to Fırat University Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology with perforated eye injuries, betvveen 1994-1999. One or two surgical interventions were performed in ali cases. They were eva­ luated with respect to patients’ age, sex and occupation; etiology of trauma, affected tissue, accompanying pat- hological findings, performed surgical intervention, delay betvveen the injury and surgery, Vision level before and after surgery and complication. Result: Of the total 157patients included in this study, 77.7% was male; 22.3 % female; and mean age of patients was 25.25 (4-85) years old. Perforated eye injuries vvere frequently seen (40.1%) in young patients (0-12 years old). This ratio was found to be 19.1% in vvorkers and 15.3 % in farmers. Among the most frequently injured tissues, cornea vvas the first (62.4%) and knives and Sharp tools were res- ponsible from most of the perforations (22.9%). Of the cases 76% vvas received surgical intervention in the first 24 hours' period. Before operation, visual level frequently found to be betvveen perception and projection (15.9). Most frequent complication among the follovv up period vvas ubnormal shaped pupil (29%) and corneal leukoma (25.9%). Conclusion: İt is knovvn that in perforated eye injury treatments, prevention of injuries is more important th an cure. Therefore prevention al public health Services ar e essential. Our results suggest that, urg en t admission to the hospital and possible early surgical intervention is important determinants of visual prognosis after per­ forated eye injuries.