Online Program

276495
Epidemiology of consumer product-related eye injuries in the United States


Sunday, November 3, 2013

Allison Chen, BA, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
Michael J. Mello, MD, MPH, Department of Emergency Medicine, Injury Prevention Center, Rhode Island Hospital, Brown University, Providence, RI
Paul Greenberg, MD, Division of Ophthalmology, Rhode Island Hospital, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
Background: Each year, more than 2.5 million eye injuries occur in the United States (US). Consumer products (CPs) are an important cause of eye injuries and contribute more than 210,000 eye injury visits annually in the US. However, the current characteristics of CP-related eye injuries are not well-described in the US population. The purpose of this study is to describe the epidemiology of CP-related eye injuries presenting to US emergency departments (EDs). Methods: The Consumer Product Safety Commission's National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (CPSC-NEISS) database was used to derive national, weighted estimates of nonfatal Emergency Department (ED) visits for eye injuries by patients' age, gender, diagnosis, injured body part, locale of incidence, and related CP. Results: Males comprised 69% of all eye injury visits. Patients aged 0-4 represented the age interval with the highest rate of injury (92 injuries per 10,000). The CPs causing the highest proportion of injuries varied among the different age groups; leading CP categories included chemicals, sports-related products, construction/cutting tools, and household items. Contusions and abrasions were the leading eye injury diagnoses (44%), followed by foreign body injuries (19%). Conclusion: This study identified the CPs responsible for the most eye injury visits by age groups. This information will aid in devising more effective age-appropriate injury prevention strategies to encourage the use of protective eyewear while working with higher risk CPs.

Learning Areas:

Epidemiology
Public health or related education
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe the epidemiology of consumer product (CP) related eye injuries presenting to US emergency departments (EDs).

Keyword(s): Injury Prevention, Epidemiology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been involved with and been the primary data analyst for several studies using this particular data base. My scientific interests include ED injuries and injury prevention.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.