PURPOSE: To study the prevalence and circumstances of severe ocular trauma in a University Hospital of São José do Rio Preto - SP. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on 216 patients with severe ocular trauma who underwent surgery between September, 1986 to September, 2000. Sex, age, la-terality, cause of trauma, type of trauma, activity during the accident and final vision after trauma were evaluated. RESULTS: 216 patients of whom 173 (80%) were male, were studied. The most frequent age was below 20 years in 94 (43.5%) patients. The unilateral injuries predominated in 209 (96.8%). The major activity during the accident was leisure in 88 (40.7%) patients. The most frequent agent was construction materials in 82 (38%) cases. Ocular perforation was the most frequent type of trauma in 84 (85.2%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Unilateral ocular perforations by construction materials predominated in male children, teenagers and old people during leisure.
Eye injuries; Accidents occupational; Construction materials; Blindness; Eye health
