Spare the Rod or Spoil the Eye? Corporal Punishment-Related Eye Injuries among Children Presenting to the University College Hospital, Ibadan: Paediatric Ophthamology and Strabismus

H.I Monye; M.O Ugalahi; B.A Olusanya; A.M Baiyeroju

Authors

H.I Monye Department of Ophthalmology, University College Hospital,Ibadan, Nigeria.
M.O Ugalahi Department of Ophthalmology, University College Hospital,College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
B.A Olusanya Department of Ophthalmology, University College Hospital,College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
A.M Baiyeroju Department of Ophthalmology, University College Hospital,College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Abstract

Introduction: About 6 million children below the age of 15 years are victims of ocular trauma annually, of which 90% are preventable.1 Sequelae from these injuries may have debilitating long-term effects. In Nigeria, 10% - 30% of ocular trauma are due to corporal punishment2,3. Corporal punishment is one in which physical force is employed to any part of the body, and which is intended to cause some degree of pain or discomfort.4 Corporal punishment is still legal in 69 (35%) of 128 countries including Nigeria5 .This study was carried out to determine the burden of corporal punishment in the aetiology of paediatric ocular injuries, in order to inform evidence-based advocacy measures to curb this trend.

Methods: The study was a retrospective review of cases of punishment-related ocular injuries among children aged 16 years and younger who presented at the Eye Emergency, University College Hospital, Ibadan, from May 2010 to April Data on proportion of paediatric ocular trauma due to corporal punishment, patient demography, circumstance surrounding, and nature of injury, management and visual outcome were descriptively summarized.

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