The 4th Annual Eye Injury Snapshot Project
May 13 to 20, 2007

FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY

A total of 475 completed questionnaires were received within the time parameters set for responding to the survey. Most of the findings were very consistent with the 2006 results, despite a roughly 35 percent decline in submissions. It is hoped that this decline reflects a drop in overall eye injuries.

• 73% of the injuries reported were to males.
• 43% of the injuries sustained were to people between the ages of 18 to 45. Only 16% reported injuries were to people 12 years of age or younger, and 10% were to people 65 or older.
• 97% of the injuries occurred in patients who are Caucasian, African-American or Hispanic. Injuries were sustained by very few Asian-Americans and members of other ethnic groups.
• 87% of the patients who sustained injuries previously had normal ocular histories.
• 49% of reported eye injuries occurred in the home, and 41% happened between noon and 6 p.m. Relatively few injuries occurred at other locations, and few happened before 6:01 a.m. or after 9 p.m.
• 55% of the ophthalmologists reported that the time lapse between injury and treatment was no more than one to several hours post incident.
• Accidents were reported as the cause of 84% of the injuries. Assaults accounted for 10% of eye injuries.
• The agents causing the largest numbers of injuries were projectiles (17%), blunt objects (14%), fingers/fists/other body parts (12%), and sharp objects (10%).
• 75% of injury victims were not wearing eyewear.
• Drugs and/or alcohol were involved in only 10% of reported injuries.
• Motor vehicle crashes accounted for 5% of injuries. In the case of motor vehicle injuries, 35% of patients were reportedly not wearing seat belts. It was reported that 25% of the patients were wearing seat belts, and it was unknown if 40% were wearing seat belts.
• 47% of the injuries occurred to patients’ right eyes only, and relatively few (6%) sustained injuries to both eyes. 47% sustained injuries to the left eye.
• 52% of treatments were provided in the ophthalmologist’s office, while 34% was provided in a hospital emergency department/emergency room; 14% were treated in a hospital operating room.
• Generally, the prognoses were good. Ophthalmologists reported 73% of the patients who sustained eye injuries were expected to fully recover, while another 12% would experience mild impairment.
• Most ophthalmologists felt that the eye injuries they examined and treated could have been avoided if the patients had worn appropriate protective eyewear.
• 46% thought that the injuries could have been avoided with patient education.

Learn about the 2008 Eye Injury Snapshot.

• 2006 Eye Injury Snapshot results
• 2005 Eye Injury Snapshot results