Citation

Xiao J, Zhang M, Jiang C, Zhang Y, Qiu H, Chaloulias C, Suleman H. J. R. Army Med. Corps 2012; 158(4): 322-325.

Affiliation

Department of Ophthalmology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, UK Royal Army Medical Corps)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

23402070

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To outline the characteristics and outcomes of eye injuries in the Chinese People's Liberation Army. METHODS: A retrospective review of military inpatient eye injuries, in one military region, population 250,000 soldiers, between January 2006 and December 2010. RESULTS: There were 709 eye injury patients (759 eyes) during the 5-year period with an incidence of inpatient eye injuries of 57 per 100,000 person-years. The mean age of patients was 24 years, the vast majority male. The majority of eye injuries occurred during recreational time (62%), with the commonest causing being violence (46%). The immediate post-injury vision acuity of 48% of eyes was > 6/12; 93% of cases had mechanical ocular injuries and 7% had non-mechanical ocular injuries. 71% of patients were sent to an evacuation hospital within 24 hours and 75% had surgery within 24 hours of injury. The majority of cases (97%) were hospitalized for one visit. On discharge, there was a statistically significant improvement in visual outcomes with 85% of eyes achieving > 6/12. CONCLUSIONS: Eye injuries secondary to violence were a frequent occurrence amongst young male PLA members, particularly during recreational time. Most injuries were not sight-threatening, with the majority of patients achieving an excellent visual outcome.

Language: en