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. 2024 Jan;262(1):331-336.
doi: 10.1007/s00417-023-06202-1. Epub 2023 Aug 17.

Fall-related ocular trauma in patients over 90 years in tertiary ophthalmic center in Germany: 90-TOSG Report 1

Ayşe Güzin Taşlıpınar Uzel  1 , Mariya Gosheva  2 , Jonas Neubauer  3 , Lydia Stock  3 , Karl-Ulrich Bartz-Schmidt  3 , Faik Gelisken  3 ; 90-Tübingen Ophthalmology Study Group
Collaborators, Affiliations

Fall-related ocular trauma in patients over 90 years in tertiary ophthalmic center in Germany: 90-TOSG Report 1

Ayşe Güzin Taşlıpınar Uzel et al. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2024 Jan.

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the clinical characteristics of fall-related ocular trauma in patients over 90 years of age.

Methods: Retrospective, medical record reviews. Patients over the age of 90 years treated in a tertiary center with fall-related ocular trauma were included in the study.

Results: Fifty consecutive patients (fifty eyes) were analyzed. The mean age was 93.6 ± 1.8 years and 41 patients (82%) were female. The most common site of the injuries was orbital fracture (18 patients, 36%), accompanied with open globe rupture (OGR) in three patients, and globe contusion in two patients. Seventeen patients (34%) presented with OGR. Ocular trauma score in those patients was category 1 in 10 patients (58.8%) and category 2 in the others. Conjunctival hemorrhage and/or periocular contusion was seen in 14 patients (28%) and globe contusion in six patients (12%). At the presentation, the mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 2.82 ± 0.24 logMAR in patients with OGR and 1.98 ± 0.81 logMAR in six patients with globe contusion. Three of the patients with OGR had a final vision of 20/200 or better whereas the remaining patients had hand movements or less. The most common risk factors were female gender (82%) and use of antihypertensive drugs (46%).

Conclusion: Patients with OGR had a poor visual outcome despite the early treatment. It is important to raise public awareness about of the poor prognosis of ocular injuries due to falls in the elderly population in order to establish preventive measures.

Keywords: 90-years; Fall; Ocular trauma; Open globe rupture.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

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