ABSTRACT
Introduction The eye is the second most common organ affected by trauma after hands and feet. Eye trauma is a common cause of visual morbidity and may result in irreversible visual impairment and blindness. Ocular and facial trauma contribute to significant proportions of visual deficits among young children. This study aimed to explore the changes in trend including the pattern and outcomes of ocular and facial trauma among children between the last twenty years. Methodology A retrospective study was conducted between January 2020 and April 2021. The medical records of the patients who attended the Royal Medical Services (RMS) military hospital between January 1999 and December 2019 suffering from eye trauma which required hospitalization were enrolled in the study and reviewed regarding age, gender, mechanism of trauma, the severity of the trauma, eye structures involved, and visual outcome. The patients were divided into three groups based on the time of trauma: Group A for injuries in the period (January 1, 1999 to December 31, 2005), Group B for the period (January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2012), and Group C for the period (January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2019). The collected data was analyzed and compared to explore whether there is any change in the pattern and visual morbidity of eye injuries over time. The most frequent finding of eye injury was corneal wound in Groups A and B patients, while in Group C the most common ocular injury was ecchymosis or sub-conjunctival hemorrhage. Results Three-thousand one-hundred and thirty only patients (3130 eyes) aged between 2 and 14 years (mean 7.11 ± 3.13) were included in the study. The male to female ratio was 2:1. 1864 patients (56.6%) were at five years of age or younger. The most common place of injury in the three groups was on the street. This ratio decreased from 64.0% in Group A to 48.8% in Group C. Stone was the commonest etiology of injury in Group A (38.0%) while wood and fall were the commonest in Group B (28.5%) and Group C (37.1%) respectively. Open globe injuries constituted 67.0% of patients in Group A, 64.7% of patients in Group B, and 51.2% of patients in Group C. Normal or mild visual impairment was noted in patients of Group C (43.9%) as compared to the patients in Groups A (7.5%) and B (8.3%) at presentation. The final vision of normal or mild visual impairment was reported in 37.1%, 38.5%, and 77.5% of patients in Groups A, B, and C respectively. Conclusion The current study is a retrospective analysis of twenty years in Jordan and has comprehensively explored the trends and patient outcomes with respect to ocular and facial trauma among children. We revealed that over time, such injuries became less frequent and less serious than before with better patient outcomes. Furthermore, higher rates of closed globe injuries were reported in recent years. There was a dramatic increase in the rate of indoor injuries compared with outdoor ones which were mostly caused by falls with better initial and final visual outcomes. These injuries are preventable with the implementation of adequate safety measures which would significantly reduce the burden of visual impairment and cosmetic disfigurement among youngsters.
ABSTRACT
Introduction Headache disorders are becoming increasingly prevalent among the younger population. In this study, we aimed to explore the varying causes of headaches among school-age children in Jordan. Methodology This was a retrospective observational study conducted at the Queen Rania Hospital for Children between June 2019 and June 2020. All the data of the patients were extracted from the patient files with the permission of the administration. All children who were referred to the ophthalmology and dental clinic with headaches as the presenting complaint were included in the study. A detailed history was initially obtained regarding age, gender, medical history, as well as the duration and characteristics of headaches. The patients underwent detailed ocular examination including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) using the Snellen chart, anterior and posterior eye segment examination, and intraocular pressure measurement. Refraction under the effect of cyclopentolate was performed for all patients. A detailed dental and oral exam was performed on all children at the dental clinic by the same dentist. Results A total of 712 patients aged between five and 13 years (mean ± SD: 9.3 ± 2.86 years) presented with headaches during the study period. Headaches were more frequent in males [n=441 (61.9%)], but a slight female predominance was found among patients aged 11 years and older. At the ophthalmology clinic, 230 (32.3%) patients with headaches had positive findings; the majority of these patients [n=228 (32%)] had refractive errors with astigmatism as the most common type. Of note, 515 patients (72.3%) had dental caries with a Decayed, Missing, and Filled Permanent Teeth (DMFT) score ranging from 1.5 to 4.3. Conclusion Refractive errors, particularly astigmatism, were found at higher rates among children with headaches. Also, temporomandibular disorders were more prevalent among children with headaches, particularly those aged between 11 and 14 years. Routine ophthalmic and dental assessment is recommended for children presenting with chronic headaches.
