Motor vehicle accident-related eye trauma trends in the United States
Reviewed by Hannah Thomsett

The authors present a large retrospective epidemiological study analysing motor vehicle accident-associated eye injuries presenting to US emergency departments between 2000 and 2020. Using a national injury surveillance database (NEISS-AIP), they examined incidence trends, patient demographics and injury patterns over a 20-year period. Ocular injuries ranged from minor surface trauma to more severe orbital and globe injuries. The authors report an overall decline in eye injury rates over time, likely reflecting improved vehicle safety measures alongside the implementation and enforcement of US Road laws. However, disparities persisted across age groups and sexes, with young adults and males disproportionately affected. Contusions and intraocular foreign bodies were among the more frequently reported presentations, while severe globe trauma was less common but associated with greater morbidity. The strengths of this study include its large sample size and extended study period, allowing meaningful trend analysis. However, reliance on emergency department coding data limits detail regarding injury severity, visual outcomes and long-term sequelae. The database also does not capture patients presenting outside emergency settings. Despite these limitations, this work provides important population-level insight into patterns of ocular trauma related to road traffic accidents. The findings highlight the continued need for preventive strategies and reinforce the role of ophthalmologists in acute trauma care and public health advocacy.

Epidemiology of motor vehicle accident-associated eye injuries presenting to united states emergency departments, 2000–2020.
Gilette JS, Zaidat K, Waldman OV, et al.
OPHTHALMIC EPIDEMIOLOGY
2025;32:590–7.