Original Research Article
Year: 2022 | Month: October | Volume: 12 | Issue: 10 | Pages: 185-190
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20221024
Traumatic Hyphema among Children in South-East Nigeria: Incidence, Complications and Visual Implications
Anajekwu Cosmas Chinedu1, Eze Gloria Chizoba2
1Consultant Ophthalmologist/Lecturer, Department of Ophthalmology, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu State, Nigeria
2Department of Ophthalmology, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu State, Nigeria
Corresponding Author: Anajekwu Cosmas Chinedu
ABSTRACT
Background/Aim: Children and young adults are frequently affected by traumatic eye injuries resulting in hyphema. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence, complications and visual implication of traumatic hyphema among children in South-East Nigeria.
Materials and Methods: A ten years retrospective study conducted in two mission hospitals located in two urban cities in Anambra state, Nigeria. Needed information which included socio-demographics and clinical findings among others, was extracted from the case files of children who had eye trauma within the period under review and entered into a pro-forma designed for the study. The information was analyzed using statistical package for social science, version 20(SPSS-20). Associations/correlations were tested using Pearson correlation and p ≤ 0.05 was accepted as statistically significant.
Results: Thirty nine out of 211 children with eye trauma had hyphema. This gave a ten-year cumulative incidence of 18.5%. Traumatic hyphema was commoner in males than in females; male:female = 1.8:1. The age range of the children with traumatic hyphema was 4-17 years (mean=1 0.1 ± 3.7 years). Playing was the commonest activity at time of injury and stick, cane and stone were the commonest objects of injury. Early presentation was associated with lesser complications and better visual prognosis. Higher grades of hyphema were associated with higher rates of complications. There was no significant association between sickle cell trait/disease and hyphema grade or complications
Conclusion: There is high incidence of hyphema among children with ocular trauma. Early presentation to hospital and appropriate prompt treatment is important in preventing possible sight-threatening complications.
Key words: Traumatic, Hyphema, Children, Nigeria, Incidence, Complications.