Ophthalmologic emergencies in pediatric patients aged 0–2 years

English (OpenAlex)

Ophthalmologic emergencies (OE) in the pediatric age group are classified as traumatic or nontraumatic, potentially causing partial or total visual loss. These emergencies, which are significant contributors to acquired visual impairment or loss, hold a prominent position in emergency department visits globally. This retrospective study aimed to analyze the demographic, etiological, and clinical characteristics of patients aged 0–2 years who were brought to the Emergency Department (ED) with ophthalmologic emergencies and requested ophthalmologic consultation. Age (month), sex, complaint etiology, affected eye (right or left), diagnosis, examination findings, treatment, and clinical progression were analyzed. Of the patients, 26 who met the inclusion criteria were included in this study. The median age was 20 (14.75–24) months; 5 (19.2%) children were aged less than 1 year and 21 (80.8%) were aged more than 1 year. Three of the patients (11.5%) were refugees. When the cases were grouped as infective and noninfective eye emergencies, the diagnosis of conjunctivitis was statistically significant between refugee and nonrefugee children (p=0.032). Traumatic injuries were more common in children aged 13–24 months, which was statistically significant (p=0.029). Only a small proportion of children brought to emergency departments with ocular complaints actually have a genuine emergency necessitating consultation. Early pediatric patients, in particular, should undergo a more meticulous systemic examination. It is crucial to explore the presence of severe emergencies that could lead to vision loss, one of our most vital senses, in every patient.