Chemical Eye Injuries

Abstract

Introduction

Chemical eye injuries are described as urgent trauma of eye and localized mostly on anterior segment. Cause of injuries is acid, alkali, mixed and non identified agents. Diagnostic procedure is easy, but therapy is complex.

Aim

The aim of study was to describe the epidemiology and cause of the most common agents involved in serious chemical eye injuries at our tertiary referent region.

Material/methods

A retropective study (3 years) of serious chemical eye injuries (Grade II/III) presenting at Clinic of ophthalmology in Clinical Centre in Kragujevac, Serbia. One-hundred and thirteen patients (164 eyes) presented between January, 2010 and December, 2012 for observation with chemical eye injuries. Authors showed important characteristics: sex, age, categories of chemical agents and location where injury occurred.

Results

Males were more often observed than females (66.37% vs. 33.63%). The mean age across all categories was 46-60 years (54; 47.79%). The most common categories of chemical agents: hydrochloric acid - 42 (25.61% - eyes), acetic acid – 37 (22.56% - eyes), quicklime – 37 (22.56% - eyes), quenched – 24 (14.63% - eyes), spray-mix – 24 (14.63% - eyes). The location where injury occurred: home – 84 (51.22% - eyes), work – 80 (48.78% - eyes).

Conclusion

Correlation and our world references, a medium urban countries, with dominators and medium industries is more easily developed relative identical, except that in our frequency allocated by serious chemical injury males professionally in social and private industry sector, as these are dominated by female in households, while maintaining general hygiene.