@article{ref1,
title="Severe ocular injuries in Greek children",
journal="Ophthalmic epidemiology",
year="2003",
author="Mela, Ephigenia K. and Georgakopoulos, Constantinos D. and Georgalis, Athanasios and Koliopoulos, John X. and Gartaganis, Sotirios P.",
volume="10",
number="1",
pages="23-29",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To determine the epidemiological characteristics of severe eye injuries in childhood, in a mixed urban and rural Greek setting. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 95 cases (103 eyes) of eye injuries in children younger than 17 years of age admitted to the Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Patras, Greece, during a five-year period. The data were analyzed with respect to age, sex, type, cause and mode of injury, method of management, duration of hospitalization and final visual deficit. RESULTS: The average age was 9.8 years and males were involved in 80% of the cases. The most common type of eye injury was mechanical closed-globe injury (71.8%). Mechanical open-globe injuries were found in 21.3% of the eyes, while burns comprised 6.7% of the injuries. Most injuries were agent-related, with blows and falls being responsible most often. Multiple operations were part of the treatment in 11.6% of the eyes; 14.5% of the eyes were blinded and 15.5% had significant final visual acuity loss. CONCLUSIONS: These hospital-based data suggest that there is a need for health education of both parents and children, since some injuries in children could easily have been prevented.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0928-6586",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}