Published in:
01-01-2022 | Eye Injuries | Trauma
Eye injuries from fireworks used during celebrations and associated vision loss: the international globe and adnexal trauma epidemiology study (IGATES).
Published in: Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology | Issue 1/2022
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Purpose
To report on the factors associated with severe vision loss from fireworks-related ocular trauma during celebrations, including festivals.
Methods
Tertiary eye care hospitals in 5 countries and private ophthalmology practices in the Netherlands. Patients included received treatment for fireworks-related ocular trauma during celebrations. Demographic and clinical data for patients affected were analyzed and associations with severe vision loss reported.
Results
Of 388 patients, 71 (18.3 %) had severe vision loss (worse than 6/60) at 4-week follow-up due to fireworks-related ocular trauma. Mean age overall was 20.6 years (range 2 to 83 years), and there was a male predominance of 4:1. Clinical factors associated with severe vision loss included penetrating injury (OR 4.874 [95% CI 1.298–18.304; p = 0.02]) and lens injury (OR 7.023 [95% CI 2.378–20.736; p = 0.0004]). More patients with closed-globe injuries (CGIs) had improved vision after 4 weeks (OR 3.667, 1.096–12.27) compared to those with open-globe injuries (OGI) (p = 0.035). Eye protection use was reported by 7 patients, and 39.4% patients < 18 years were unsupervised by an adult at the time of injury.
Conclusions
Severe vision loss from fireworks-related ocular trauma occurred during celebrations in a variety of countries and was associated with penetrating and/or lens injury and poor presenting vision. New initiatives are needed to prevent severe vision loss associated with these injuries.