Objective:

Determine the characteristics of ocular trauma in patients diagnosed with traumatic cataract.

Methods:

A cross-sectional descriptive observational study was carried out with 335 patients diagnosed with traumatic cataract. The variables included age, sex, affected eye, location of trauma occurrence, use of protection in the work environment, type of ocular trauma, associated damage, cataract morphology and area of injury.

Results:

The average age of the patients was 52.2 ± 14.8 years. A predominance of males was observed (75.5%) and the majority of cases presented blunt ocular trauma (70.4%). The right eye was more affected (64.8%). Regarding the place of occurrence of ocular trauma, 49.9% of cases occurred in the work context, and the majority of patients who experienced open ocular trauma did not use eye protection. The most common associated injuries were increased intraocular pressure, capsule rupture and synechiae, iris dialysis. Regarding the morphology of the cataracts, it was observed that total opacity predominated.

Conclusions:

This study highlights the importance of preventive strategies, especially in work environments prone to eye injuries. The lack of eye protection in cases of open eye trauma emphasizes the need to raise public awareness about the importance of adequate safety measures. These findings may guide clinical interventions and public health policies to reduce the incidence and sequelae of traumatic cataract.