The Prevalence and Risk Factors of Ocular Trauma: The Singapore Indian Eye Study

Purpose: To describe the prevalence and risk factors of ocular trauma in an urban Southeast Asian population. Methods: A population-based survey of 3,400 (75.6% response rate) adults of Indian ethnicity aged 40–80 years residing in Singapore was conducted in 2007–2009. An age-stratified (10-year age group) random sampling procedure was performed to select participants. Ocular trauma was defined as any eye injury requiring medical attention and any history of ocular trauma was documented using a standardized and validated questionnaire comprising seven questions. Potential risk factors associated with ocular trauma included age, gender, socioeconomic status, occupation, housing type, alcohol consumption, smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and history of falls. Results: Ocular trauma was reported in 5.1% (n = 162; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.3–6.1%) of the study population, of whom 26.5% (n = 43) required hospitalization. A total of 42.0% (n = 68) of cases resulted from a blunt object, 36.4% (n = 59) from a sharp object, and 15.4% (n = 25) from chemical burns. After adjusting for age and sex, men had a higher prevalence of ocular trauma (7.1% vs. 3.0%, age-adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.2, 95% CI 1.6–3.1). A history of cigarette smoking was associated with higher likelihood of ocular trauma (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1–2.4) but not consumption of alcohol (OR 1.0, 95% CI 0.6–1.6). Conclusions: One in twenty Indian adults in this urban Southeast Asian population had a history of ocular trauma, similar to the prevalence reported in Malays living in Singapore. Men and cigarette smokers were more likely to have incurred ocular trauma.