Epidemiological Trends of Pediatric Eye Diseases in Iraq: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: The most common cause of non-congenital unilateral blindness and monocular vision impairment in children is ocular trauma.

Aim: This study identifies epidemiology and ocular trauma related to pediatrics in Iraq.

Study design: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 120 Iraqi pediatric patients hospitalized with ocular injuries in the ophthalmology department in Baghdad, Iraq, during the period February 2023 - November 2024.

Outcomes: Our findings showed that patients with ages (5–8) years had 50% eyes, sides included, right with 55%, left with 42.5%, and both with 2.5%; an open globe wound had 55%, a close globe wound had 35%, and almost all children got eye injuries in street with 27.5% and school with 15%, where 45% had undergone ocular wall repair and 25% had undergone lens extraction, where all patients got visual acuity with > 0.3, and ocular trauma scores (41–80) were 70%.

Conclusions: Home-occurring open globe wounds are prioritized for preventative measures. To figure out which children are most at risk, prospective studies with a variety of populations and standard outcome measures are necessary.