Patterns of Eye Emergencies During the Weekend among Egyptians

Abstract Background: Ocular emergencies are a worldwide cause of visual impairment. The emergency eye service of Cairo University Hospitals is a tertiary referral center for eye emergencies in Egypt. Researchers pointed out that pattern of casualties on weekends differed from weekdays with higher utilization and less severity of presenting patients during the weekends. However; little, if any, was reported regarding weekend eye emergencies. Aim of Study: Casualty service of Cairo University Hos-pitals is a tertiary referral center for eye emergencies in Egypt. In this study I analyzed patients admitted through this service including trauma andmedical eye emergencies during weekends. Patients and Methods: In a prospective observational study I enrolled all patients admitted through the casualty eye serviceduring the same time period every weekend for 3 months from September 2021 till December 2021. Data were tabulated and analyzed regarding the patients' demographic data, presenting visual acuity, patient's diagnosis, ocular imaging investigations and management. Results: 563 patients presented to the emergency service of whom 63 were admitted to the hospital for their emergency eye condition. Age of admitted patients ranged from 1.5 to 82 years (mean 28.3 SD 24.4). About 60% of admitted patients were due to trauma while the other 40% were not due to trauma. Corneo-scleral lacerations comprised the highest percentage of all admissions followed by corneal infiltrates then acute glaucoma conditions. Of traumatic globe injuries, 80% were open while remaining were closed globe injuries. Open globe injuries were: 84% lacerations (of whom one fifth with intraocular foreign bodies), 12% rupture globes, and 4% globe perforation. Children (under 12 years old) constitutes about half of all admissions and nearly 80% of these patients were admitted for traumatic eye conditions, odds 3.91 (CI 1.3-11.9), p=0.02. Conclusion: Non-trauma causes comprise a considerable sector of patients needing admissions of whom corneal infil-trates was the leading cause. The factors behind the high rates of ocular trauma in children need to be investigated.