Clinical Study and Profile of Ocular Trauma: Findings From a Rural Hospital in Central India

Objective In this study, we aimed to examine the presence of visual damage due to ocular trauma and assess visual outcomes, and document the clinical spectrum and outcomes following ocular injuries among patients presenting to a tertiary care hospital in rural central India. Methods This was a hospital-based prospective interventional study conducted over a period of two years from August 2019 to August 2021. Patients with ocular injuries attending the casualty and the Ophthalmology department were included in the study after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A detailed and comprehensive ophthalmic examination was performed and visual acuity was noted at the presentation and follow-ups. The patients were followed up at regular intervals, initially at one week and subsequently at three and six weeks. Results The incidence of ocular trauma was highest in the age group of 31-40 years. There were only three patients aged more than 60 years; 15 were in the pediatric age group (1-20 years). The ocular trauma was highest in males (88.33%) than in females (11.67%). The majority of the patients were from rural areas (70%) and 30% were from urban areas. In this study, both eyes were equally involved. The right eye was involved in 45% of patients and the left eye was involved in 55%. Of note, 80% of the patients presented with closed globe injury, and 20% presented with open globe injury. On classifying the open and closed globe injuries into their subtypes, it was observed that the majority of the patients had lid laceration (n=43, 71.67%), followed by corneal penetration in 12 patients (20%), corneal abrasion in three patients (5%), and lid abrasion in two patients (3.33%). While 34 patients presented to the hospital with a history of road traffic accidents (56.67%), accidental trauma (by a wooden stick, hook of a blouse, bangle, etc.) was noted in 17 patients (28.33%), trauma by soil particle and hand pump in five patients (8.33%), and electrical trauma caused by the blast of capacitor in one patient (1.67%). One patient (1.67%) had sustained trauma from a piece of wood while working on the farm and two patients (3.33%) had a trauma because of assault. Thirty-four patients (66.67%) had a history of falls from bikes, and the next most common object causing trauma was a wooden piece/stick (four patients, 6.67%), followed by trauma caused by an iron particle in four patients (6.67%), trauma by stone in three patients (5%), and trauma by hand pump in two patients (3.33%). Conclusion Road traffic accidents were the most common cause of ocular trauma in patients attending this rural hospital in central India. The ocular structures involved and types of ocular trauma play a significant role in determining the visual outcomes in these patients.