ABSTRACT

Background:

To evaluate epidemiologic properties of infants applying to our clinic due to perforating eye injury, as well as the educational level of their parents, and socioeconomic status of their families.

Methods:

A total of 172 patients aged between 0-15 years and applying to our clinic due to perforating eye injury between March 2005 - March 2007, were included into the study. The cases were prospectively evaluated in terms of age, sex, material causing injury, cause of injury and social environtment where it occured, education levels and professions of parents, the number of siblings, socioeconomic and environmental conditions.

Results:

Of the cases, 117 (68%) were male, and 55 (32%) were female: the mean age of the patients was 7.8 ± 5.6 (1-15 years old). The mothers of 118 cases (68.6%) and fathers of 52 cases (30.2%) were determined to be illiterate. Eye injuries occured mostly (53.5%) during playing activites. In 79.6% of the cases, the montly income per capita was less than 150 Yeni Türk Lirasi ( YTL.), and 65% of the families had five or more siblings. In addition, 102 (59.3%) of our cases were living in rural areas.

Conclusion:

There was a significant relationship between perforating eye injuries and parents'educational level and socioeconomic status. It was concluded that this kind of injuries could be prevented through education of parents and improvent of socioeconomic conditions of families.