在全球范围内,因眼外伤而引起的大约有160万人失明,230万人双侧视力障碍,1900万人单侧视力丧失。[3]MacEwen CJ. Ocular injuries. J R Coll Surg Edinb. 1999;44:317-323.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10550957?tool=bestpractice.com在全部有报道的眼外伤中有接近一半(48%)发生在年龄18岁至45岁的人群中。此外,25%发生在0到18岁的儿童和青年人,27%发生在46岁及以上年龄的人群中。在所有年龄段的人群中,男性的眼外伤风险比女性高4倍以上。[1]Kuhn F, Mester V, Berta A, et al. Epidemiology of severe eye injuries: the United States Eye Injury Registry (USEIR) and the Hungarian Eye Injury Registry (HEIR). Ophthalmologe. 1998;95:332-343.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9643026?tool=bestpractice.com[4]Maltzman BA, Pruzon H, Mund ML. A survey of ocular trauma. Surv Ophthalmol. 1976;21:285-290.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1013882?tool=bestpractice.com[5]Desai P, MacEwen CJ, Baines P, et al. Epidemiology and implications of ocular trauma admitted to the hospital in Scotland. J Epidemiol Commun Health. 1996;50:436-441.http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=8882228http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8882228?tool=bestpractice.com[6]Briner AM. Penetrating eye injuries associated with motor vehicles accidents. Med J Aust. 1976;1:912-914.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/979746?tool=bestpractice.com与白人相比黑人和西班牙裔人有40%至60%更高的风险发生眼外伤和受伤后超过两倍的长期忍受视力损伤风险。[7]Katz J, Tielsch JM. Lifetime prevalence of ocular injuries from Baltimore Eye Survey. Arch Ophthalmol. 1993;111:1564-1568.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8240115?tool=bestpractice.com损伤程度从轻度,无视力威胁到有及其严重的潜在后果等。大多数伤害是轻微的,影响眶周组织或眼表(例如,角膜擦伤或角膜浅层异物)。[3]MacEwen CJ. Ocular injuries. J R Coll Surg Edinb. 1999;44:317-323.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10550957?tool=bestpractice.com
在美国,每年有超过250万起眼外伤发生,在其中,5万人永久丧失部分或全部的视力。对于与眼科相关的急诊就诊量来说外伤是最常见的原因。[8]Nash EA, Margo CE. Patterns of emergency department visits for disorders of the eye and ocular adnexa. Arch Ophthalmol. 1998;116:1222-1226.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9747684?tool=bestpractice.com在美国,急诊科收治的眼外伤发病率是3.2每1000人口而终生累积发生率是14400每10万人口。[9]McGwin G Jr, Owsley C. Incidence of emergency department-treated eye injury in the United States. Arch Ophthalmol. 2005;123:662-666.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15883286?tool=bestpractice.com[7]Katz J, Tielsch JM. Lifetime prevalence of ocular injuries from Baltimore Eye Survey. Arch Ophthalmol. 1993;111:1564-1568.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8240115?tool=bestpractice.com眼外伤住院治疗的发生率是13.2每年每10万。[10]Klopfer J, Tielsch J, Vitale S, et al. Ocular trauma in the United States, eye injuries resulting in hospitalization, 1984 through 1987. Arch Ophthalmol. 1992;110:838-842.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1596232?tool=bestpractice.com这些人的伤眼有超过10%概率会丧失视力。[3]MacEwen CJ. Ocular injuries. J R Coll Surg Edinb. 1999;44:317-323.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10550957?tool=bestpractice.com在苏格兰,眼外伤住院的一年发病率已被证实为8.14每10万人,其中大约有10%的伤眼会丧失视力。严重的眼外伤导致失明的发病率为0.41每10万人。[11]Desai P, MacEwen CJ, Baines P, et al. Incidence of cases of ocular trauma admitted to hospital and incidence of blinding outcome. Br J Ophthalmol. 1996;80:592-596.http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=8795369http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8795369?tool=bestpractice.com