Injuries to eye’s outer membranes lead to nearly $800 million in health costs

Injuries to the outer membranes of the eye — known as open globe injuries — led to nearly $800 million in health costs in recent years, according to new research. Scientists looked at nearly 125,000 emergency department visits for such injuries between 2006-2014. Although the incidence of such injuries was low — fewer than 5 injuries per 100,000 people — nearly a third of the injuries were in those of low socioeconomic status. The rate of injuries decreased over the eight-year study period, but the cost of the ED visits increased during this time, from $865 between 2006-2010 to more than $1,500 during the latter half of the study. Most people who experienced the injuries had been hit by or fell on an object, while falls were the most common cause of injury in older adults.