Presenter Profile
Nicholas Stange, MD, MPH
Department of Ophthalmology
LSU Health Shreveport
nstange12@gmail.com
Nicholas Stange is a PGY-1 ophthalmology resident at LSU Health Shreveport in Shreveport, Louisiana. Originally from Des Moines, Iowa, he completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Iowa and went on to earn both his Medical Degree and Master of Public Health from Saint Louis University. His research interests center on injury prevention and the epidemiology of ocular trauma, with a focus on documenting and reducing the prevalence of eye injuries. Outside of medicine, he organizes and participates in Relay Iowa, an annual ultramarathon relay across the state, and enjoys spending time with his growing family.
Presentations
Lawnmower-Related Eye Injuries in the U.S.
Nicholas Stange, MD, MPH
Charles Jennissen, MD
Power lawnmowers pose significant ocular hazards and understanding these injuries can inform prevention strategies. The study objective was to determine the epidemiology, mechanisms, and trends of lawnmower-related eye injuries in the U.S., focusing on national estimates, injury types, and high-risk populations.
A retrospective cross-sectional study of U.S. lawnmower-related eye injuries from 2004-2023 was performed using the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. Periorbital injuries were not included. The mechanism of injury and several other variables were coded using the database narratives. Descriptive and comparative analyses (chi-square and Fisher’s exact test) were performed.
An estimated 120,613 lawnmower-related eye injuries occurred in the U.S. from 2004-2023 (N=2,467 NEISS cases). Those injured were 82% males, 95% adults and 82% non-Hispanic Whites. Ninety-nine percent of injuries occurred at home. Most injuries (77%) were from projectiles (predominately grass, dirt and rocks), 12% non-projectile injuries during mowing, 8% maintenance/repair-related and 2% from chemical exposures (primarily gasoline). Common diagnoses included eye abrasions/contusions (55%) and foreign bodies (27%). Severe injuries included retinal detachment, iris sphincter tear, corneal erosion, lens dislocation and globe rupture. Only 2% of projectile injuries were documented in narratives as using eye protection including eyeglasses. The average annual estimate for lawnmower-related eye injuries was 33% lower when comparing 2018-2023 to 2004-2017 (n=4,502 vs. n=6,686, p<0.001). Injuries decreased more in males than in females, (35% vs. 23%, p<0.001) and in adults aged 18-65 (35%) as compared to youth <18 yrs (26%) and adults >65 yrs (23%), p<0.001. Whereas injuries decreased in non-Hispanic Whites by 41%, they increased in Blacks (18%) and other racial/ethnic groups, including Hispanics (42%), p<0.001. Youth <18 years were a higher proportion of bystander (50%) versus operator (5%) injuries, p<0.001. As compared to adults, a greater proportion of injured children were African American and Hispanic (p=0.003) and were injured somewhere other than at home (p=0.023). Bystanders, as compared to operators, had higher rates of severe injuries requiring hospital admission, p=0.002.
Lawnmower-related eye injuries remain a serious risk, especially from projectiles. The risk could be significantly lessened if proper safety glasses/goggles were utilized both while operating mowers and when performing maintenance/repair. Though less frequent, bystander injuries also occur with half of these being children and with a greater proportion requiring admission. Other individuals should not be in the vicinity of a mower’s operation, especially children.
1. Describe the trend in overall and pediatric lawnmower-related eye injuries over time.
2. Identify at least three mechanisms for lawnmower-related eye injuries.
3. State at least three comparative differences between lawnmower-related eye injuries in youth versus adults.