One year in an eye casualty clinic

Abstract

A survey of patients visiting the eye casualty clinic of the Leicester Royal Infirmary was conducted during a one-year period. Demographic and clinical data were collected for 6576 patients. Data were recorded by both medical and clerical personnel during each patient visit. In addition to reporting the main demographic variables in the study, the most common diagnoses and occupations were analysed separately. The main diagnoses fell into two groups: trauma and acute infection/inflammation. The frequency of eye trauma in males was twice that in females. Trauma in adults was strongly influenced by occupation. Common occupations presenting with eye injury were press and machine tool operators, motor vehicle and aircraft mechanics, metal and sheet metal workers, construction and general labourers, electricians, welders, bus/lorry drivers and painter/decorators. Infections were in general distributed evenly throughout the population. The most common infection reported was acute conjunctivitis.