Eye trauma is the leading cause of blindness worldwide.
It is estimated that 116,000 Australians, and nearly 30,000 Victorians, present to hospitals, emergency departments and general practitioners every year with ocular injuries. These figures are probably conservative estimates, as they do not include those managed at work by on-site medical and nursing staff. Data was obtained from three databases which provide information on admissions to hospitals, and presentations to emergency departments and the general practitioner. A critical review of the literature was also undertaken to compare findings and to investigate potential interventions and the issues surrounding their implementation. For the purposes of this study, adults were defined as any person 15 years of age or older.