Abstract
PURPOSE: The objective of this investigation is to evaluate the 5-year mortality of geriatric patients who have sustained eye injuries. DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study included patients aged 65 years or older who had histories of either ocular trauma or age-related nuclear cataracts. Subjects and controls: Patients with ocular trauma constituted the study group, while those with a history of cataracts served as controls. METHODS: Data from the I2B2 Carolina Data Warehouse were analyzed. Patient demographics were collected, and the outcomes of interest were the overall mortality rate and annual mortality rates over a 5-year period. Chi-squared tests were utilized for the comparison of mortality data. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcomes were overall mortality rates and annual mortality rates expressed as percentages. RESULTS: The study group consisted of 602 patients who had suffered ocular trauma. The control group included 1066 patients of similar age who had been diagnosed with age-related nuclear cataracts at some point in their lives. Among the study group, 74 patients died within 5 years, while 69 patients in the control group died within the same timeframe, resulting in a study group mortality rate of 11.30% and a control group mortality rate of 6.47%. For patients with ocular trauma, the annual mortality rates were 4.15%, 2.60%, 1.96%, 2.54%, and 0.56%, respectively. For the control group, the annual mortality rates were 1.03%, 1.70%, 1.64%, 0.88%, and 1.38% respectively. CONCLUSION: The study suggests that geriatric patients who have experienced ocular trauma are at a higher risk of mortality compared to age-matched controls without such injuries. These findings highlight the necessity of identifying the causes of geriatric periorbital trauma and underscore the importance of close patient follow-up to improve outcomes.