Penetrating eye injuries from writing instruments

Simon P Kelly, Graham MB ReevesThe Royal Bolton Hospital, Bolton, UKPurpose: To consider the potential for ocular injury from writing implements by presenting four such cases, and to consider the incidence of such eye injuries from analysis of a national trauma database.Methods: The Home and Leisure...

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Main Authors: Kelly SP, Reeves GMB
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2011-12-01
Series:Clinical Ophthalmology
Online Access:http://www.dovepress.com/penetrating-eye-injuries-from-writing-instruments-a8969
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author Kelly SP
Reeves GMB
author_facet Kelly SP
Reeves GMB
author_sort Kelly SP
collection DOAJ
description Simon P Kelly, Graham MB ReevesThe Royal Bolton Hospital, Bolton, UKPurpose: To consider the potential for ocular injury from writing implements by presenting four such cases, and to consider the incidence of such eye injuries from analysis of a national trauma database.Methods: The Home and Leisure Accident Surveillance System was searched for records of eye injuries from writing instruments to provide UK estimates of such injuries. Four patients with ocular penetrating injury from pens or pencils (especially when caused by children), and examined by the authors, are described which illustrate mechanisms of injury.Results: It is estimated that around 748 ocular pen injuries and 892 ocular pencil injuries of undetermined severity occurred annually in the UK during the database surveillance period 2000–2002. No eye injuries from swords, including toy swords and fencing foils, were reported.Conclusion: Ocular perforation sometimes occur from writing instruments that are thrown in the community, especially by children. Implications for policy and prevention are discussed. Non-specialists should have a low threshold for referring patients with eye injuries if suspicious of ocular penetration, even where caused by everyday objects, such as writing instruments.Keywords: eye injury, eye, children, mechanism, writing instruments, prevention
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spelling doaj.art-34282103cb45410fae361fd4e5d1b12f2022-12-21T22:59:39ZengDove Medical PressClinical Ophthalmology1177-54671177-54832011-12-012012default4144Penetrating eye injuries from writing instrumentsKelly SPReeves GMBSimon P Kelly, Graham MB ReevesThe Royal Bolton Hospital, Bolton, UKPurpose: To consider the potential for ocular injury from writing implements by presenting four such cases, and to consider the incidence of such eye injuries from analysis of a national trauma database.Methods: The Home and Leisure Accident Surveillance System was searched for records of eye injuries from writing instruments to provide UK estimates of such injuries. Four patients with ocular penetrating injury from pens or pencils (especially when caused by children), and examined by the authors, are described which illustrate mechanisms of injury.Results: It is estimated that around 748 ocular pen injuries and 892 ocular pencil injuries of undetermined severity occurred annually in the UK during the database surveillance period 2000–2002. No eye injuries from swords, including toy swords and fencing foils, were reported.Conclusion: Ocular perforation sometimes occur from writing instruments that are thrown in the community, especially by children. Implications for policy and prevention are discussed. Non-specialists should have a low threshold for referring patients with eye injuries if suspicious of ocular penetration, even where caused by everyday objects, such as writing instruments.Keywords: eye injury, eye, children, mechanism, writing instruments, preventionhttp://www.dovepress.com/penetrating-eye-injuries-from-writing-instruments-a8969
spellingShingle Kelly SP
Reeves GMB
Penetrating eye injuries from writing instruments
Clinical Ophthalmology
title Penetrating eye injuries from writing instruments
title_full Penetrating eye injuries from writing instruments
title_fullStr Penetrating eye injuries from writing instruments
title_full_unstemmed Penetrating eye injuries from writing instruments
title_short Penetrating eye injuries from writing instruments
title_sort penetrating eye injuries from writing instruments
url http://www.dovepress.com/penetrating-eye-injuries-from-writing-instruments-a8969
work_keys_str_mv AT kellysp penetratingeyeinjuriesfromwritinginstruments
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