Causes of Ocular Trauma in Patients Referred from Medicolegal Centers to Farabi Hospital, Tehran, Iran

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Ocular traumas are major causes of morbidity. Work and car accident, assault and war are the most common causes of eye trauma. Patients referred from medicolegal centers to Farabi hospital to determine the type of trauma, causes and the percent of morbidity. The objective of this study was to assess the causes, type and intensity of ocular trauma in patients referred from medicolegal centers to Farabi hospital, Tehran University of medical sciences, Tehran, Iran. METHODS: The present study was preformed on all cases of ocular trauma referred from medicolegal centers to Farabi hospital from August to September 2007. Initial data including sex, age, visual acuity, time and place of accident, anatomic structure and the cause of trauma were evaluated.FINDINGS: From 295 patients, 255 were male (86%) and 40 were female (14%). The range of their age was between 18 to 70 years old. The most common place of injuries in male was out of house (80%) and it was a significant difference with female (p=0.000). More common site of injuries was eye lid in 124 (45%), conjunctiva in 111 (40%) and cornea, anterior chamber, lens, vitreous and retina in 60 (15%). The causes of trauma included assault in 193 cases (65.4%). Also sustained trauma in right eye was more than left eye (152 cases (51.5%) vs. 118 (48.5%)).CONCLUSION: Assault is one of the most common causes of eye trauma in patients especially in young ones referred from medicolegal center to hospital. Prevention of eye related trauma should be considered. Therefore, it is necessary to instruct students, parents and teachers in order to decrease eye trauma