The 5th Annual Eye Injury Snapshot Project
May 11 to 18, 2008

FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY

A total of 775 completed questionnaires were received within the time parameters set for responding to the survey. Most of the findings were very consistent with the 2007 results, even with a roughly 63 percent increase in submissions. It is hoped that this spike reflects an increase in participation rather than in overall eye injuries.

• 74% of the injuries reported were to males.
• 46% 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.
• 94% 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.
• 88% of the patients who sustained injuries previously had normal ocular histories.
• 45% of reported eye injuries occurred in the home, and 43% happened between noon and 7 p.m. Among injuries at home, more than one third (34%) were in the living areas of the home (e.g., the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, living or family room).
  
• 59% 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 more than 80% of the injuries. Assaults accounted for slightly more than 10% of eye injuries.
• The agents causing the largest numbers of injuries were projectiles (13%), blunt objects (13%), fingers/fists/other body parts (12%), airbags (10%) and power tools/tools (10%).
• 78% of injury victims were not wearing eyewear.
• Drugs and/or alcohol were involved in 10% of reported injuries.
• Among injuries involving motor vehicle crashes, 55% of patients were reportedly not wearing seat belts.
  
• 45% of the injuries occurred to patients’ right eyes only, and relatively few (5%) sustained injuries to both eyes. 41% sustained injuries to the left eye.
• 60% of treatments were provided in the ophthalmologist’s office, while 28% was provided in a hospital emergency department/emergency room; 14% were treated in a hospital operating room.
• Generally, the prognoses were good. Ophthalmologists reported 75% of the patients who sustained eye injuries were expected to fully recover, while another 11% 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.
• 44% thought that the injuries could have been avoided with patient education.

Learn about the 2009 Eye Injury Snapshot.

• 2007 Eye Injury Snapshot results
• 2006 Eye Injury Snapshot results
• 2005 Eye Injury Snapshot results