ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: We studied the nature of associated ocular trauma during the 1998 and 1999 New Orleans parade seasons and whether trends were observable from previous surveys. METHODS: A prospective survey and retrospective analysis included 18 emergency rooms (ERs) in the New Orleans area. RESULTS: Sixteen surveys representing eight ERs were completed between February 19 and 24, 1998, and 32 surveys representing five ERs were completed between February 5 and 17, 1999. In both years, the most common ocular complaints were pain, blur, foreign body sensation, tearing, and photophobia. The most common slit lamp findings in 1998 were within normal limits, corneal abrasion, and conjunctival hyperemia. In 1999, the most common findings were subconjunctival hemorrhage, corneal abrasion, cell and flare, and lid laceration. CONCLUSIONS: Projectile injuries of the eyes are common during Mardi Gras due to the nature of interaction between paradegoers and float riders. We found no identifiable trend in the number or type of injuries reported in 1986, 1987, and 1998 Mardi Gras surveys.
Subject(s)
Eye Injuries/epidemiology , Holidays , Adult , Conjunctiva/injuries , Corneal Injuries , Eye Foreign Bodies/epidemiology , Eye Hemorrhage/epidemiology , Eye Injuries/etiology , Eyelids/injuries , Female , Humans , Hyperemia/epidemiology , Lacerations/epidemiology , Louisiana/epidemiology , Male , Prospective Studies , Retrospective Studies , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
It is generally agreed that the saturation sound pressure level of a hearing aid should not exceed the patient's loudness discomfort level (LDL) for speech. This study investigated (1) the stability of the test and retest LDLs when obtained on different days using McCandless's and Berger's instructional sets and (2) the effects of a psychophysical method (adjustment versus limits) on the speech LDL using McCandless's instructions. Good reliability was observed since one-half of the listeners had test-retest differences of 2 dB or less and nearly all subjects obtained LDLs within 8 dB. The mean LDLs for the respective methods of adjustment and limits were 86.8 and 92.9 dB SPL, and statistically significant. Additionally, a significant interaction between the two methods was observed. The LDL measurement is also discussed in relation to other tests used to evaluate hearing aid performance.
