Epidemiology and prevention of sports-related eye injuries

Epidemiology and risk factors for sports- and recreation-related eye injury: a multicenter prospective observational study

AIM

To identify the epidemiologic characteristics of sports- and recreation-related eye injuries in a large metropolitan city and investigate risk factors associated with visual impairment.

METHODS

We performed a multicenter prospective observational study on patients using the regional eye injury registry data. This study included patients with sports- and recreation-related eye injury in four tertiary teaching hospitals in Daegu, Republic of Korea, from August 2016 to July 2018. The primary outcome was visual impairment at the first hospital visit. Distributions of sex, age, place, and causative materials were analyzed according to causative activities. To examine the association between causative activities and visual impairment, a Logistic regression analysis was used.

RESULTS

Of the 349 sports- and recreation-related eye injuries, soccer was the most common causative activity, with 21.8% (n=76). Sports- and recreation-related eye injuries occurred mainly in teenagers, individuals in their 20s, and men. Badminton and soccer were significantly associated with visual impairment at the first hospital visit compared with combat sports [(adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 5.18; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.67-16.09 for badminton and AOR, 3.87; 95%CI, 1.36-10.99 for soccer].

CONCLUSION

Intervention efforts such as deployment of protective eyewear in sports facilities and schools and promotion of wearing protective eyewear during these activities in teenagers and individuals in their 20s are mandatory.

Analysis on sports and recreation activity-related eye injuries presenting to the Emergency Department

AIM

To investigate the incidence and general characteristics of sports-related eye injuries in patients visiting the Emergency Department.

METHODS

A cross-sectional, multi-center, observational study. Patients with an injured eye who visited the Emergency Department at one of nine hospitals in Korea were enrolled. All data were prospectively collected between March and September 2010 using a questionnaire. Eye injuries that occurred during risky sports were examined by gender and age. Additionally, the rate of open globe injuries that occurred with and without protective eyewear was examined for each activity. Continuous variables were compared using Student's t-test and categorical variables were compared using Chi-square test.

RESULTS

A total of 446 patients had sports-related eye injuries. Teenagers (10-19 years old) and young adults (20-29 years old) had the most eye injuries. Eye injuries accounted for 0.2% of Emergency Department patients. Baseball was the most common cause of sports-related eye injuries, followed by soccer and hiking. Protective gear was worn by 9.4% of all patients. Patients that were 30-39 years of age had the highest rate of protective gear use, followed by patients that were 40-49 years of age. The proportion of sports-related eye injuries that were open-globe injuries was highest for soccer and hiking.

CONCLUSION

Although injuries were most common in patients below the age of 10 years, these patients had the lowest rate of protective eyewear use. Injuries in adults over 40 years of age most commonly occurred during hiking, but the rate of protective eyewear use was low. Young athletes should be educated on and provided with protective eyewear and policies protective gear use should be established. For older adults, eye protection should be encouraged, especially during hiking.