1. A retrospective study of the incidence and prevalence of thermal corneal injury in patients with burns.
- Author
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Boone KD, Boone DE, Lewis RW 2nd, and Kealey GP
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Child, Child, Preschool, Cornea pathology, Eye Burns complications, Eye Burns pathology, Female, Humans, Incidence, Iowa epidemiology, Male, Middle Aged, Prevalence, Retrospective Studies, Treatment Outcome, Visual Acuity, Corneal Injuries, Eye Burns epidemiology
- Abstract
The clinical course of thermal corneal injuries is not well described. A review of 1750 burn admissions to a regional burn center between 1979 through 1993 was done to determine the clinical course of thermal corneal injuries. Twenty-five out of 1750 burn admissions (1%) presented with a thermal corneal injury. Corneal injuries were identified with use of a fluorescein dye and a Wood's lamp. Ophthalmologic consultation was obtained for those identified. Data were analyzed with the Fisher's exact test and the unpaired two-tailed Student's t test. Patients with thermal corneal injury did not differ demographically from other patients with burn injury. Open-flame burns were the most common cause of injury. Improvement of corneal injury occurred in all survivors who had an intact globe on initial examination. Initial visual acuity was not a good predictor of outcome, and long-term complications were uncommon.
- Published
- 1998
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