Pattern of Ocular Injuries and Visual Outcomes at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi State

Ocular injuries are a preventable cause of visual impairment and blindness in Nigeria, and their pattern reflects occupational exposures, domestic accidents, and road traffic crashes prevalent in each geopolitical zone. This study examines the pattern of ocular injuries and their visual outcomes among patients managed at the ophthalmology unit of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi State, North East Nigeria. A retrospective descriptive design is applied to case records of patients managed for ocular injuries over a four-year period from 2019 to 2022. Data include injury mechanism, affected eye structures, initial visual acuity, management approach, final visual outcome, and rate of enucleation. SPSS is used for descriptive statistics. Literature from North East Nigerian ophthalmology units identifies agricultural and domestic accidents as the most common mechanisms, with open globe injuries carrying the worst visual prognosis. The Birmingham Eye Trauma Terminology (BETT) system and the Ocular Trauma Score guide injury classification and prognosis assessment in this study. Findings will provide an institutional audit record and inform the ophthalmology department on patient counselling, surgical prioritisation, and preventive advocacy targeting occupational safety in agricultural communities. Keywords: ocular injuries, visual outcomes, ophthalmology, Bauchi State, North East Nigeria.