The 6th Annual Eye Injury Snapshot Project
May 17 to 24, 2009
FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY
A total of 627 completed questionnaires were received within the time parameters set for responding to the survey. Most of the findings were consistent with the 2008 results, though results showed an increase in injuries to children over previous years.
- 75% of the injuries reported were to males.
- 44% of the injuries sustained were to people between the ages of 18 to 45. Nearly one in five reported injuries were to people 12 years of age or younger (17.8%), and 8% were to people 65 or older.
- 48% of reported eye injuries occurred in the home, nearly a third of which (29%) were caused by play or sports. More than one in five at-home injuries were due to home repair or power tools.
- Among injuries at home, almost one third (30%) were in the living areas of the home (e.g., the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, living or family room). The most common place of injury was the yard or garden (40%).
- Accidents were reported as the cause of 80% of the injuries. Assaults accounted for slightly more than 10% of eye injuries.
- 77% of injury victims were not wearing eyewear.
- Drugs and/or alcohol were involved in less than 5% of reported injuries.
- Among injuries involving motor vehicle crashes, 53% of patients were reportedly not wearing seat belts.
- 44% of the injuries occurred to patients’ right eyes only, 39% sustained injuries to the left eye.
- 56% of treatments were provided in the ophthalmologist’s office, while 32% was provided in a hospital emergency department/emergency room.
- Generally, the prognoses were good. Ophthalmologists reported 77% of the patients who sustained eye injuries were expected to fully recover, while another 11% would experience mild impairment.
- Most ophthalmologists felt that the eye injuries they examined and treated could have been avoided if the patients had worn appropriate protective eyewear.
- 55% thought that the injuries could have been avoided with patient education.
Learn how the EyeSmart™ campaign is using these results and other findings to raise awareness of eye injuries. You can help this effort in your own community by using the following template news releases.
Previous Snapshots
For additional data, contact the Academy's Media Relations department.
