About half of hospitalizations during period studied from non-powder gun-related injuries, mostly in boys
MONDAY, Jan. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Pediatric sports- and recreation-related eye injuries are common, most often occurring among boys, according to a study published online Jan. 8 in Pediatrics.
Krystin N. Miller, M.D., from the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and colleagues analyzed data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System in a retrospective study involving an estimated 441,800 children (age ≤17 years) treated for sports- and recreation-related eye injuries in U.S. emergency departments from 1990 to 2012 (averaging 26.9 injuries per 100,000 children).
The researchers found that the highest rate of eye injury occurred among children aged 10 to 14 years and 15 to 17 years. Boys sustained three-quarters of the injuries. The most common types of injury were corneal abrasion, conjunctivitis, and foreign body in the eye (27.1, 10.0, and 8.5 percent, respectively). Overall, 94.6 percent of the injuries were treated and released, but 4.7 percent were hospitalized. Basketball, baseball and softball, and non-powder guns were the most common sports and recreation activities and equipment associated with eye injury (15.9, 15.2, and 10.6 percent, respectively). During the study period there was a slight decrease in the overall rate of eye injury, but an increase was seen in the rate of eye injury associated with non-powder guns (168.8 percent increase). Non-powder gun-related injuries accounted for about half of hospitalizations (48.5 percent).
“Increased prevention efforts are needed, especially for eye injuries associated with non-powder guns,” the authors write.
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