Ophthalmic complications among cases of head trauma in north-eastern Iran

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and pattern of ocular complications in patients with head trauma admitted to the main trauma centre in north-eastern Iran. A total of 459 head-injured patients (36.56 ± 19.30 years of age) with at least one ocular manifestation were recruited. Each individual patient was examined by a neurosurgeon and an ophthalmologist to confirm the type of ocular complication. In addition, all patients were analysed for age, gender, and cause of head injury in addition to the ophthalmic and neurosurgical examinations. Of the 459 patients, 142 (31 %) were female and 317 (69 %) were male. The maximum rate of ocular complications was during the third decade of life and minimum during childhood and in the elderly (>71 years) population. The leading cause of head trauma was motor vehicle accidents, predominant in male adults aged 21-40 years. Ocular complications observed were classified into three major groups: soft-tissue injuries to the globe and adnexae (n = 434), orbital complications (n = 45) and neuro-ophthalmic complications (n = 152). In conclusion, our data provides a useful estimation of the rate and pattern of ocular complications among patients with head injuries seen in trauma centres in north-eastern Iran. Understanding the pattern of ocular complications helps us to design more appropriate preventive methods.