Retrospective analysis of eye trauma patients among trauma patients admitted to van Yüzüncü Yil University emergency service

Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the regional risk factors, the effective factors on morbidity with its diagnosis and treatment, the effected segment of society and the causes of trauma in the patients admitted to the emergency department with eye trauma. Materials and Methods: The study included patients who were admitted to the Department of Emergency Medicine of Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Faculty of Medicine between 01.01.2010 and 31.12.2018 due to eye injuries. The demographic features of the patients, complaints in the application, referral or direct arrival, whether there was a trauma factor in the cause of the event, the diagnoses they received in the emergency department, accompanying system injuries, radiological examinations, hospital monitoring, hospitalization, and discharge status were evaluated. ICD (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Turkish equivalent: Uluslararası Hastalık Sınıflaması) codes were used for the information of the patients, including the diagnosis of eye emergencies and eye trauma through Enlil, a patient registry and procedure program of Yüzüncü Yıl University. Findings: Of the patients in the study presented, 2685 people who applied to the emergency department were included. The vast majority of patients were in the 20-49 age range (77.16%). 83.0% of them were male and 97.8% were in the form of direct application to the emergency department, and the complaints of 91.9% were limited to one eye organ. The most common eye trauma mechanism was 52.7% with foreign body in the eye (n: 1416). Only 14.9% of the patients were asked for additional radiological examination besides an emergency examination, 41.7% of them were diagnosed with cornea and non-cornea foreign body. The emergency application of 81.1% was concluded as discharge. The most common occupation group was workers with a rate of 43.1%. It was observed that military personnel were not subjected to injuries caused by foreign body, tree-wood traumas, assault, fall, animal traumas, blunt trauma, sports trauma, traffic accident, contact with flammable and combustible substance within their trauma mechanisms. Students had the highest rate of injuries with piercing and cutting tools, injuries during sports activities, falls and injuries caused by explosives. Result: Despite the development of diagnosis and treatment methods, eye traumas may result in decreased vision or blindness. In our study, we aimed to contribute to epidemiological aspects, to draw attention to the importance of eye examination and to the applicability of standard examination methods.