Ocular Firework Injuries among Patients Presented to the Emergency Department During Festival Season in a Tertiary Eye Hospital.

Introduction: Fireworks can cause severe ocular injuries which can be prevented if used with proper precautions. It causes not only mechanical injuries but also thermal and chemical injuries. This study aimed to find out the prevalence of ocular firework injuries among patients presented to the emergency department during festival season in a tertiary eye hospital. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study done among patients presenting in the emergency department of a tertiary eye hospital after obtaining ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee. Data of patients from medical records between 26 October 2021 to 28 November 2021 and 15 October 2022 to 17 November 2022 was collected. A convenience sampling method was used. The point estimate was calculated at a 95% Confidence Interval. Results: Among 132 patients, the prevalence of ocular firework injuries was seen in 73 (55.30%) (46.82-63.78, 95% Confidence Interval). Closed globe injury was mostly observed in 56 (76.71%) patients with ocular injuries. The most common age group affected was those less than 30 years old 54 (73.97%). Conclusions: The prevalence of ocular firework injuries was found to be lower than other studies done in similar settings. Protective measures should be used to prevent ocular injuries. A public awareness program needs to be launched before such festivals. Keywords: festivals; injuries; prevalence.

A rare case of conjunctival malignant melanoma with orbital invasion.

BACKGROUND: Conjunctival malignant melanoma is a rare ocular malignancy most commonly affecting mostly the elderly population. It is a pigmented lesion which canarise from primary acquired melanosis, de novo or from preexisting nevus. CASE: A 63 year old male presented with a chief complaints rapidly increasing mass in the left eye for two months following trauma with a wooden stick. He had preexisting nevus in the same eye. His best corrected visual acuity was 6/12 in right eye and 1/60 left eye respectively. Slit lamp biomicroscopy examination showed 4 cm x 4 cm pigmented mass in the nasal bulbar and inferior palpebral conjunctiva causing mechanical ectropion of the lower lid with keratinization of palpebral conjunctiva. Incisionalbiopsy of conjunctiva showed malignant melanoma. On computed tomography, there was expansion of bony orbit. Considering all the findings, exenteration of the left orbitwas done. Histopathological report of exenterated mass was suggestive of malignantmelanoma of conjunctiva. CONCLUSION: Conjunctival melanoma is a rare malignant tumor of eye which has high metastasis rate and the treatment option is surgery with adjuvant therapy.