Estimation of financial burden to victims of ocular injuries presenting to a tertiary care hospital in Coastal Karnataka

The aim of the study is to measure the financial burden incurred by patients of ocular injuries visiting a tertiary care teaching hospital. Methods: The study was a prospective questionnaire based telephonic interview with 262 patients who were treated at the Department of ophthalmology at a tertiary care teaching hospital in South India, for ocular injuries; over the past 5 years between Jan 2012 and Dec 2016. Each patient in Udupi district was interviewed in person. For patients who were based outside Udupi, a letter containing the study details, the basic information questionnaire and an informed consent form was sent via post along with a prepaid reply envelope. 163 patients were excluded and a final sample size of 99 was achieved. The results of the study showed that patients in the age group of 28-37 years formed the major group affected by ocular injuries. Males were affected more than females. The most common pattern of ocular injuries was other injuries of eye and orbit followed by ocular laceration and rupture with prolapse or loss of intraocular tissue. In the current study, the right eye was injured 44% of the time, the left eye 43% of the time and both eyes 13% of the time. A majority of the patients were not able to return to the same job due to the severity of the injuries sustained by them. Around 57% of patients of ocular injury are earning,6% are not earning and the remaining 37% are dependent on their family.