Week in Review: Scooter-Related Eye Injuries, Phone Interviews After Cataract Surgery, Uncorrected Refractive Error in African Americans

A weekly roundup of ophthalmic news from around the web.

High increases in scooter- and hoverboard-related eye injuries are seen. Between 2014 and 2019, eye and orbit injuries in the United States related to use of hoverboards and both electric and nonelectric scooters increased by 97%, according to a review of data from the National Eye Injury Surveillance System database. The most dramatic increases over that time were in electric scooter injuries occurring in the 18- to 34-year age group (5980% increase). Falls were responsible for half of all scooter- and hoverboard-related eye and orbit injuries, and the most common injuries were eyebrow and eyelid lacerations and periorbital contusions. Injuries due to falls, ejections, and collisions that were related to intoxication were more likely to be seen in electric scooter users than conventional scooter or hoverboard users. “With the usage of e-scooters continuing to increase, the results of the study further emphasize the importance of discussions about mandatory protective equipment and regulations to reduce injuries and riding under the influence,” say the authors. Clinical Ophthalmology

Conducting telephone interviews after cataract surgery may help put patients at ease, say investigators in Austria who conducted an explorative study between February 2019 and October 2022, with a break between March 2020 and January 2022 due to COVID-19 restrictions. All 181 participants had an in-person follow-up examination 1 week after cataract surgery, but 89 participants also received a follow-up phone call on the day of surgery or the following day. Both groups reported similar rates of postoperative symptoms. Ninety-one percent of the telephone group reported high satisfaction with the call, and patients who received a same-day call were more likely to find it calming than patients who received a call the next day. Nearly all patients in both groups said they would like to receive a similar call after any ophthalmic surgery. PLOS One

The burden of uncorrected refractive error in African Americans may be due to demographic and socioeconomic factors. In a sample of 6337 patients aged ≥40 years enrolled in the cross-sectional African American Eye Disease Study, the prevalence of uncorrected refractive error (UCRE) was 14.6%, and the prevalence of unmet refractive need (URN; visual acuity worse than 20/40) was 5.4%. Rates of UCRE and URN were higher in men than in women. Risk factors for UCRE and URN included lower household income and not having vision care insurance; additional risk factors for UCRE included older age, current smoking, and not having an eye exam in the past 12 months. The authors note that “These [risk factors] highlight the need to consider universal vision coverage particularly in the more vulnerable segments of our society,” and recommend programs and policies that promote overall population eye health, including screenings, exams, and follow-up care. JAMA Ophthalmology