Eye Injuries among Road Traffic Accident Victims in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the types of eye injuries seen among road traffic accident (RTA) victims managed at a referral hospital in Ogun State, Nigeria.
Materials and Method: All RTA victims who presented at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) between July 2004 and June 2005; their eyes were examined by an ophthalmologist for any form of injury. The biodata, cause and type of eye injury, cause of accident, position of
victim in the vehicle, use of seat belt by victim, and treatment offered were documented using a questionnaire.

Results: Thirty-five (2.7%) of the RTA victims (1314) during the study period had various forms of eye injury. The majority were male (65.7%); 80% were between 20 and 40 years. The victims included 7 technical workers (20%); 6 students (17.1%); 5 traders (14.3%); 5 office workers (14.3%); and 5 drivers (14.3%). Only 24% of the drivers and 8% of front
seat passengers had used a seat belt. The majority of the victims, 23 (65.7%), had a combination of extraocular and anterior segment injuries . Lid injury was the most common extraocular injury 29 (90.6%), followed by laceration (34.4%), oedema (30.2%) and bruising (25%); while the
most common injury of the anterior segment was subconjunctival haemorrhage 23 (85.2%). Most of the patients, 28(80%), presented within 24 hours of injury.
Conclusions: The majority of eye injuries from RTAs seen at OOUTH, Sagamu were mild and mainly found in the extraocular and anterior segments of the eye.

Key words: eye injury, road traffic accidents, anterior segment, extraocular segment, posterior segment