CLINICAL PROFILE OF PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH CORNEAL FOREIGN BODIES: A HOSPITAL BASED STUDY

Introduction: Corneal foreign bodies are one of the commonest forms of ocular trauma, the majority of which occur due to occupational exposure. The aim of this study was to study the profile of patients with corneal foreign bodies. Materials and Methods: A hospital based prospective study was conducted among 50 patients presenting to the ophthalmology outpatient department of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical college Jhansi over a time span of 3 months. Demographic data of patients and clinical characteristics of foreign bodies was noted. Results: Most of the patients were males 90%, belonging to the 21-30 age group . Majority of them were workers in metal industries 40%.Welding and cutting metal were implicated as the most common mode of injury 28% Conclusion: We identified the high risks associated with this form of ocular trauma. The incidence and hence the prevalence of corneal foreign body can be decreased if we aware the people about the associated complications and advise them to use protective eye wears (PEW).