Work-related ocular trauma in the United States: a National Trauma Databank study.

PURPOSE

This study aims to investigate trends and risk factors associated with work-related ocular injuries occurring in adults aged 19-64 using the National Trauma Databank (NTDB).

METHODS

In this retrospective, cross-sectional study, the NTDB was used to collect all patients with an ICD-9 code of work-related ocular trauma from 2007 to 2014. Demographic data and risk factors collected included age, gender, race, setting, machinery, and mechanism. Descriptive statistics, univariate, and logistic regression multivariate analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

Between 2007 and 2014, 234,983 cases of work-related trauma were identified, of which 11,097 (5.7%) cases involved ocular trauma. The mean age of patients was 40.7 years (SD = 12.2), and the majority of patients (93.7%) were male. Most injuries occurred in an industrial facility, and the most common injuries were orbital floor fractures (OFFs), ocular contusions, open wounds to the adnexa, and open globe injuries (OGIs). OFFs most commonly involved a concurrent fracture of another facial or skull bone. Male gender (RR = 1.22; CI 1.09-1.38), accidental falls (RR = 1.50; CI 1.41-1.60), trauma from falling objects (RR = 1.34; CI 1.21-1.48), involvement in an unarmed fight (RR = 1.63; CI 1.39-1.91), assault by a blunt object (RR = 1.59; CI 1.31-1.91), and injury caused by animals (RR = 1.63; CI 1.30-2.02) were risk factors for OFFs. Patients with OFFs were less likely to have a concurrent OGI (RR = 0.27; CI 0.23-0.32). On the other hand, injuries occurring in industrial facilities (RR = 1.29; CI 1.11-1.51) and injuries with a loose foreign body striking the eye or adnexa (RR = 1.54; CI 1.28-1.84) were risk factors for OGI. The most common causes of work-related ocular trauma were accidental falls, motor vehicle accidents, and accidentally being struck in the eye. The mean length of hospital stay was 6.56 days (SD = 10.82); 36.7% of patients required ICU admission, and the overall in-hospital mortality rate was 2.8%.

CONCLUSION

The majority of work-related ocular trauma occurred in men, most commonly in industrial locations. Accidental falls were the most common identified cause of trauma. OFF was the most common ocular injury; 80% of OFF cases involved additional facial and skull fractures. Patients with OFFs were less likely to have a concurrent OGI compared with patients without OFFs.