Introduction: Ocular trauma is a common cause of monocular visual impairment and blindness worldwide, with significant socioeconomic impact.
Aim of the work: Was to describe the pattern of ocular trauma in patients attended the Emergency Section of the Ophthalmology Department of Alexandria University Main Hospital and its medicolegal consequences as a permanent infirmity.
Patients and methods: The study included 82 Egyptian patients (48 males and 34 females)presented to the Emergency Section of the Ophthalmology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University in the period from the 1^st of August 2013 to the end of January 2014. A specially designed sheet included the personal data, data related to the injury, treatment and outcome.
Results: The age of patients ranged from 6 months to 63 years with a mean of 26.5 ± 15.9 years. Males (58.5%) outnumbered females (41.5%). Majority of injuries were accidental (56.1%) followed by assaults (43.9 %). Street injuries represented the highest percentage 43.9% of ocular trauma. Regarding the causative instruments, the most commonly involved was blunt objects (43.9% of cases) followed by sharp objects (31.7%). Closed globe injuries (CGI) accounted for the majority of admitted patients (68.3% of all eyes) while open globe injuries (OGI) represented 31.7%. Permanent infirmity was found in 46.34% of cases.
Conclusion: The results of the present work indicated that ocular trauma is a significant cause of visual loss and infirmity among Egyptian population. The study demonstrates the need for primary prevention and control measures.