Factors Responsible for Poor Visual Outcome Following Emergency Eye Surgery in a Tertiary Eye Centre

BACKGROUND: Ocular emergencies can cause permanent vision loss if they are not recognized and treated promptly. This study was carried out to identify the factors responsible for poor visual outcome following emergency eye surgeries. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out on all patients who had surgical emergency eye procedures. Clinic and theatre records of all eligible patients were retrieved. Demographic characteristics, duration of symptoms, laterality, presenting visual acuity, documentary pictures, classfication of eye injury, duration of days before surgery, surgical procedures performed and six weeks post-operative visual acuity were obtained from the records. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 25. RESULTS: One hundred and ninety-four patients had emergency eye surgical procedures constituting 16.3% of all ocular emergencies. There were 145(74.7%) males and 49 (25.3%) females with a male-to-female ratio of 3:1. The proportion of students, 48(67.6%), that presented within 24 hours of injury was the highest while the civil servants, 8(17.8%), had the lowest proportion. Corneo-scleral repair topped the list of surgeries and was the commonest, 106(54.6%), procedure carried out the same day of presentation. A 3(rd) of the patients, 28(34.1%), who presented within 24 hours had normal vision 6 weeks post-operatively while over 4/5(th) of the patients who presented after 24 hours were blind six weeks post-operatively. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of eye emergency surgical procedures was high with over 4/5(th) of these patients becoming blind six weeks post-operatively. Some of the factors responsible for poor visual outcome were delayed presentation, pre-operative visual acuity and delayed surgical intervention.