Pediatric Ocular Trauma and Pre-hospital First Aid Practices for Children Presenting at Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi

Introduction: Ocular injuries are amongst the important primary causes of preventable blindness in children. The purpose of our study was to analyse the epidemiological factors and initial management of pediatric ocular trauma at Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study carried out at Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi. The study focused on children under the age of 15 years who experienced eye injuries and either presented at the outpatient department or admitted to the hospital wards. The study spanned over a period of 6 months i.e. 1st June 2023 to 31st December 2023 during which comprehensive medical histories were collected. Information regarding demographic details and the nature of the injuries was documented. The visual acuity of the subjects was measured both prior to and following treatment. Results: During the study period, sixty-six children presented with ocular trauma. The majority of injuries occurred in children aged 6-15 years. Males were 62%(n=41) and females were 38 % (n=25). There was a significant difference between rural children (32%) and urban children (68%). Injuries in children belonging to middle class were common (46%). The majority of injuries took place within the home environment, constituting 46% of the cases, with playground incidents accounting for 23%, and road-related incidents making up 21%. The primary sources of injury were metal nails (24%) and sticks (12%). Among the injuries, open globe injuries comprised 59%, while closed globe injuries constituted the remaining 41%. Conclusion: Considering the prevalence of ocular trauma, appropriate education and awareness should be given to parents in order to reduce the risk of trauma. The majority of eye injuries in children can be avoided, underscoring the significance of health education and the need for adult supervision to lower the occurrence and seriousness of such accidents.