Introduction: One of the main causes of acquired blindness and impairment in children is ocular trauma. This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of pediatric patients hospitalized with open globe injuries (OGI).
Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on children diagnosed with OGI at a referral Hospital affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran, from 2014 to 2018.
Results: 375 OGI medical records were detected during the study period. The common culprits for OGI in boys were knives (21.3%), wood (19.7%), metal bodies (12.2%), and glass (11.8%). In girls, the common causes were knives (28.7%), glass (24.3%), pencils (11.3%), and wood (10.4%). Boys had a greater rate of Intraocular foreign body (IOFB) (p= 0.052) but had lower odds of blindness compared to girls (OR=0.48; 95% CI: (0.24, 0.98); p = 0.04). Patients with corneal lacerations had lower chances of long-term admission than those with corneal and scleral lacerations (OR= 0.35, 95% CI: (0.17, 0.69); p = 0.02).
Conclusion: Most pediatric OGIs occur in boys. knives were the principal culprit for OGI, followed by glass and wood. Boys had a greater IOFB rate but lower blindness odds than girls.
Keywords: Blindness; Eye Injury; Pediatrics; Trauma; Visual Impairment.