Sports-related ocular trauma.

A prospective evaluation of all patients presenting with a sports-related ocular injury during a 1-year (4-season) period was conducted. Of the 202 patients evaluated, 28 (13.8%) required hospitalization and 11 (5.6%) required intraocular surgery. Twenty-six patients (12.8%) sustained permanent ocular sequelae including seven (3.5%) who suffered visual loss. Basketball accounted for 28.7%, baseball/softball 19.8%, and racquetball 11.4% of all injuries. At the time of injury, 5.1% of patients had worn protective eye wear, whereas on follow-up only 31% had used eye protection. These results indicate that sports trauma remains a significant cause of ocular morbidity.