Eye injury and sport: sport-related eye injuries presenting to an eye casualty department throughout 1995.

A survey was undertaken of all patients attending the Eye Casualty Department at Waterford Regional Hospital with sports injuries in the twelve-month period 1st January 1995 to 31st December 1995. Ninety eight patients had problems associated with sport. Hurling was responsible for the largest group (30%) and football of different codes accounted for 29%. The next largest group was the racquet sports (13%). The most common injuries were to the anterior chamber (hyphaema and microhyphaema: 36%). There were three orbital fractures. 26 patients (27%) were admitted. 83 patients (85%) were male. The median age was 20 years. Sport is a significant cause of eye injury, which is often serious, and affects mostly young healthy males.