Dissemin is shutting down on January 1st, 2025

Published in

Serbian Medical Society, Srpski Arhiv za Celokupno Lekarstvo, 9-10(141), p. 592-596, 2013

DOI: 10.2298/sarh1310592r

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

The Frequency of Chemical Injuries of the Eye in a Tertiary Referral Centre

Journal article published in 2013 by Aleksandra Radosavljević ORCID, Tanja Kalezić, Slobodan Golubović
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Question mark in circle
Preprint: policy unknown
Question mark in circle
Postprint: policy unknown
Question mark in circle
Published version: policy unknown
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

Introduction. Chemical injuries can occur under various circumstances and may cause serious damage to the anterior segment of the eye. Objective. The aim of the study was to analyze the frequency of chemical injuries treated in a tertiary referral centre. Methods. The medical records of consecutive patients admitted for the chemical injury of the eye to the Clinic for Eye Diseases in Belgrade between January 1999 and December 2008 were retrospectively analyzed in order to obtain data about proportions of injuries, demographical characteristics of patients, circumstances under which injuries happened, the chemicals involved, the severity of injury according to the Roper-Hall classification and the length of hospitalization. Results. Out of a total of 60,868 hospitalized patients, 148 (2.43/1,000) were treated for chemical injury of the eye, with the highest incidence observed during summer months. Men were over five times more often affected (84.5%) and most of the injured individuals belonged to the working-age population (mean age 44.4?16.2 years). The most common causative agents were alkalis (73.0%), while acids (18.2%) and other substances (8.8%) were less common. None of 35.1% patients for whom data were obtained used any protection while handling the chemicals. The vast majority of injuries were graded as grade II (31.1%) and III (42.6%) and the most severe ones were caused by alkalis. An average length of hospitalization was 17.7?24.1 days and correlated with the severity of injury. Conclusion. Chemical injuries are relatively common problem in the Emergency Ophthalmology. Constant education and usage of adequate protective equipment should be advised in order to prevent serious complications.