[Severe ocular injuries in children at the UHC of Cocody in Abidjan in 1994].

PURPOSE

The aim was to analyze favoring factors of childhood serious eye injuries in order to prevent them.

METHODS

Children (age < or = 15 years) admitted at the university hospital of Cocody in Abidjan (the Ivory Coast) for serious eye injuries from January 1st to December 31st, 1994 were screened. Following parameters were noted: age, sex, advice delay, trauma circumstances, initial state and mean term course of visual acuity and eye injuries.

RESULTS

Forty-nine children were hospitalized for serious eye injuries during this period. There were twice as many boys as girls. Mean age was 8.5 years. Only 10 per cent of patients consulted before the 6th hour. In 43 per cent of cases, injuries happened during play. Most often things used were metal (43 per cent) and vegetables (35 per cent). Most frequent eye injuries were contusions (10 cases) and eye-ball wounds (36 cases). Treatment was medical alone 11 times and medico-surgical 38 times. At mean term, 25 per cent of monocular blindness and 45 per cent of monocular blindness and 45 per cent of monocular visual acuity decline to 1/10 were noted.

CONCLUSION

These findings point out the necessity to prevent eye injuries by informing teachers and parents who must exclude children from dangerous play which can injure eyes.