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Abstract Background To determine the epidemiological characteristics and visual outcome of ocular trauma in southern Italy. Methods All cases of ocular trauma admitted to Department of Ophthalmology of Palermo University, Italy, from January 2001–December 2005 were retrospectively reviewed for open- or closed-globe injury (OGI or CGI). Data extracted included age, sex, residence, initial and final visual acuity (VA), cause and treatment of injury, hospitalization. The injuries were classified by Ocular Trauma Classification System (OTCS) and Birmingham Eye Trauma Terminology (BETT). We also referred to the Ocular Trauma Score (OTS) in evaluating the final visual outcome. Results Of the 298 eyes, there were 146 OGI and 152 CGI. Fifty eyes (16.8%) had an intraocular foreign body (IOFB). The annual incidence of eye injuries was 4.9 per 100,000. Most injuries occurred in men (84.6%, p < 0.0005), with an average age of 33.0 vs. 49.9 for women (p = 0.005). Cause of injury differed significantly by gender (p = 0.001) and urban vs. rural location (p = 0.009). The most frequent causes in men were outdoor activities related injuries (30.9%), work-related (25.4%), and sport-related (17.5%), and in women were home-related (52.2%) and outdoor activities related injuries (30.4%). In urban areas, road accidents were more frequent; in rural areas, work-related injuries were more frequent with a greater rate of IOFBs than in urban areas (p = 0.002). The incidence of OGI and CGI differed in work-related injuries (p < 0.0005), sport-related injuries (p < 0.0005), and assaults (p = 0.033). The final visual acuity was 20/40 (6/12) or better in 144 eyes (48.3%), 20/40–20/200 (6/12–6/60) in 90 eyes (30.2%), and Conclusion This analysis provides insight into the epidemiology of patients hospitalized for ocular trauma. The findings indicate that ocular trauma is a significant cause of visual loss in this population.

Purpose: Open globe eye injuries can have profound social and economic consequences. Here, we describe two cases of war and outdoor activity open globe eye injury where, despite a low OTS score, current microsurgical technology allowed for a favorable outcome., Case Report 1: A 33-year-old Libyan soldier had been treated for an open-globe grenade blast trauma to his left eye, which showed light perception and OTS score 2. He had undergone a lensectomy and PPV with silicone oil tamponade. Surgical treatment included scleral buckling, cornea trephination, temporary Eckardt keratoprosthesis, PPV revision, intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, and corneal grafting. Six months later, his VA was improved to 20/70. CASE REPORT 2: A 35-year-old man presented with a corneal laceration in his left eye from a meat skewer, with marked hypotony and LP. After primary corneal wound closure, B-scan ultrasonography revealed massive vitreous hemorrhage (OTS score 2). The patient underwent open cataract extraction with IOL implantation, 23 gauge PPV, laser photocoagulation of the retinochoroidal laceration, and a gas tamponade. After three weeks, the patient underwent a 2nd 23G PPV due to a fibrinous reaction. Six month later, the patients exhibited 20/25 VA., Conclusion: These cases confirm that even for patients with a low OTS and poor visual prognosis, an up-to-date surgery protocol may achieve visual results adequate for leading an autonomous daily life.