A 20-year retrospective analysis of ocular and adnexal injuries resulting from animal attacks in Eastern China.

Background: This study aimed to assess the clinical characteristics, management strategies, and outcomes of ocular and adnexal injuries caused by animal attacks.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients hospitalized for animal-induced eye injuries at the Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University (2003-2023). This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University (Ref. No. 2024146, August 2024). Informed consent was waived. The study complied with the Declaration of Helsinki. Clinical presentations, treatment approaches, and outcomes were systematically reviewed.

Results: Sixteen patients with ocular injuries from animal attacks were included, with 75.0% being male ( < 0.05) and a median age of 13.5 years (range: 2-69 years). Injuries were most commonly caused by birds (5 cases), followed by dogs (4), cats (2), fish (2), wasps (2), and bees (1). Most injuries occurred during attempts to approach or interact with the animals. Corneal injury was most frequent (12 cases,  < 0.05), followed by eyelid and canalicular lacerations, cataracts, endophthalmitis, retinal detachment, globe rupture, penetrating ocular injuries, and orbital fractures. Treatments started on average 4.03 ± 4.98 days post-injury. Surgeries included eyelid/canalicular repair, globe reconstruction, lens extraction, and pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). Cataracts ( < 0.05) and retinal detachment ( ≤ 0.01) were linked to poorer initial visual acuity (LogMAR). Post-treatment VA improved significantly, from 2.4 to 0.19 ( ≤ 0.01), especially in lens surgery patients ( < 0.05).

Conclusions: Animal-induced ocular and adnexal injuries predominantly affect males and may cause irreversible visual impairment. Cataracts and retinal detachment predict poor initial vision. Early diagnosis and timely surgery, especially lens surgery, are essential for recovery. Public education and prevention are essential to reduce such injuries.