Assessment and evaluation of ocular emergencies in rural indian population: A retrospective study

Abstract

Objectives: The present observational study was conducted to evaluate and assess the ocular emergency prevalence in the rural Indian population and to elucidate health care professionals concerning better prevention and management of these emergencies. Material and Methods: This clinical observational retrospective study was carried out Ophthalmology department, from various Indian Rural Hospitals of East and Central India. The available medical records served as the data for assessing ocular emergencies. The results were formulated from the collected data. Results and interpretation: Non-traumatic ocular emergencies were 396. Among these, acute glaucoma, conjunctivitis, corneal ulcer, endopthalmitis, neuroopthalamology, Painful Blind Eye, Orbit/Adnexa, uveitis, Vitreo retinal, and miscellaneous injuries seen in respectively 18.93% (n=75), 10.85% (n=43), 21.96% (n=87), 10.01% (n=40), 5.05% (n=20), 4.04% (n=16), 13.88% (n=55), 9.09% 9n=36), 4.04% (n=16), and 2.02% (n=8) study subjects. Total traumatic injuries seen were 1072 of which open globe injuries, closed globe injuries, lid injuries, chemical injuries, Extra ocular foreign bodies, Intra ocular foreign bodies, and miscellaneous injuries were reported by 23.97% (n=257), 11% (n=118),12.96% (n=139), 5.97% (n=64) 41.97% (n=450), 2.42% (n=26) and 1.67% (n=18) study subjects respectively. Conclusion: Within its limitations, the present study suggests that an increase in awareness concerning ocular injuries can markedly decrease or prevent the community incidence of ocular injuries. Early intervention and awareness towards ocular injuries can help reduce the health care burden concerning ocular emergencies of non-traumatic origin.