Gender Disparities in Open Globe Injuries: Ten-Year Review of an Urban Population

Abstract

Aims: To characterize gender differences in the ophthalmic findings and clinical outcomes of patients with open globe (OG) injuries. Study Design: Retrospective case series. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, New Jersey Medical School between January 2001 and June 2010. Methodology: The medical records of all patients presenting with OG injuries to University Hospital, Newark, NJ from January 1, 2001 through June 30, 2010 were reviewed. Demographics, characteristics of the trauma, ophthalmic findings, and outcomes were compared in male and female patients. Results: A total 603 eyes (602 patients) with OG injuries were identified. Most of the patients (76.4%) were male. The mean patient age was 39.14 years which was significantly lower in males (35.66 years vs. 50.43 years in females; p<0.001). The vast majority of injuries were penetrating and/or work-related in men, whereas fall-related ruptures comprised the most common pattern of injury in women. Zone I was the most commonly injured zone in both genders, and Zone III wounds were more commonly seen in males (p=0.03). Although females were more likely to present with a worse visual acuity (VA, p=0.005), the final VA was not significantly different between males and females (p=0.06), and a statistically significant improvement in vision occurred in both genders (p<0.001 in both). Fifteen percent of patients had an unfavorable anatomic outcome and underwent either primary or secondary enucleation; the rate was not different among males and females (17% in both). Conclusion: Male and female victims of OG injuries follow different trends in terms of demographics, etiology, and type of injury. This highlights the importance of applying different prevention strategies in the genders.