RISK PROFILE AND OUTCOME MODIFIERS OF TRAUMATIC OCULAR INCIDENTS SEEN IN A TERTIARY HOSPITAL.

Author(s):

Ekweremadu Ezekiel Nkemakonam, Okoloagu Nkiruka* and Eze Chukwuemeka

Injuries occasioning physical trauma is a global phenomenon with no foreseeable end. Increasing urbanization comes with increased human interaction and mobility leading to higher incidents of conflict and as well as accidents. An observational study involving consecutive new patients presenting with ocular injury was carried out in the outpatient and emergency department of our facility (Enugu State University Teaching Hospital) between October 1^st 2019 and December 31^st 2019.

Traumatic injuries in general and trauma to the globe in particular will represent a significant public health problem going forward. The present study, though limited by a small sample size, did not fail to show the ‘trauma cost’ of a hyperkinetic society and problems of poor law enforcement. Enforcement of work safety laws and regulation of activities of patent medicine dealers will reduce the incidence of ocular injuries and mitigate their eventual outcome in at risk individuals respectively. A larger study will aid a better understanding of these specific ocular trauma determinants and strengthen any advocacy efforts.