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Background/aims: To describe the epidemiology, outcomes, and prognostic factors of intraocular foreign body (IOFB) injuries at a tertiary ophthalmic referral centre in Cork University Hospital, Ireland. Methods: A retrospective review of 23 eyes with IOFB that presented to Cork University Hospital (CUH) from January 2009 to December 2019 was performed. The mechanism and characteristics of IOFB injury were all noted. This data was collated and analysed to ascertain the epidemiology of IOFB injury in CUH and to describe the prognostic factors affecting visual outcome following IOFB injury. Results: There was a 100% male prevalence. The mean age was 37.4 years. The majority of IOFBs were metal in nature and were acquired by hammering, often while working and frequently in the absence of personal protective equipment (PPE). The route of entry for the IOFB was via the cornea in 70% of cases. Fifty-two percent of cases were clinically detectable and 43% of cases were only identifiable on CT (computed tomography) imaging. Eighty-seven percent of cases underwent surgery on the same day as presentation. There was no incidence (0%) of endophthalmitis. Seventeen percent of cases developed post-operative retinal detachment (RD). The mean pre-operative VA was 0.79 LogMAR (6/38 Snellen equivalent—SE) compared to a mean VA of 0.58 LogMAR (6/24 SE) following surgery. Conclusions: This review provides important epidemiological data for IOFB injuries in Ireland. It also adds some useful information to the literature in relation to prognostic factors and lens status post IOFB injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, medical oxygen therapy was urgently needed for patients with hypoxaemia. Many low- and middle-income countries lacked the medical devices for oxygen therapy and experience in their use. Approach In addition to providing medical devices for oxygen therapy for countries in need, the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners developed training videos to help local health workers select, use and maintain this equipment. Diverse health professionals, including engineers and clinicians from resource-constrained countries, collaborated in developing draft videos in their local settings. A production team refined these drafts and delivered the training videos through the platform OpenWHO. Local setting OpenWHO is WHO's free open-access platform providing courses for health workers and others. The courses, based on WHO's scientific and operational guidance, can be easily adapted, contextualized and translated. Relevant changes The production team refined the drafts into 32 training videos. More than 17 505 health workers participated in the OpenWHO course on COVID-19 respiratory equipment between 28 February 2022 and 30 November 2023. Participants were from 189 countries and 38% (6027/16 047) were from low- and lower-middle-income countries. Lessons learnt Involving volunteer biomedical engineers and clinicians from low- and middle-income countries helped provide an appropriate training resource. WHO should continue to develop such training tools and offer them through OpenWHO, especially for emergencies. Probleme Lors de la pandemie de coronavirus en 2019 (COVID-19), les patients atteints d'hypoxemie ont eu besoin d'une oxygenotherapie medicale d'urgence. De nombreux pays a revenus faibles ou intermediaires manquaient alors de dispositifs medicaux pour assurer cette oxygenotherapie et d'experience dans leur utilisation. Approche L'Organisation mondiale de la sante (OMS) et ses partenaires ont non seulement fourni des dispositifs medicaux d'oxygenotherapie aux pays qui en avaient besoin, mais ils ont egalement elabore des videos de formation pour aider les professionnels de la sante locaux a selectionner, utiliser et entretenir ce materiel. Differents professionnels de la sante, dont des ingenieurs et des cliniciens issus de pays aux ressources limitees, ont coopere a l'elaboration de projets de videos dans leur environnement local. Une equipe de production a perfectionne ces projets et a diffuse les videos de formation par l'intermediaire de la plateforme OpenWHO. Environnement local OpenWHO est une plateforme gratuite et en acces libre de l'OMS qui propose des formations aux agents de sante et a d'autres personnes. Les formations, basees sur les orientations scientifiques et operationnelles de l'OMS, peuvent etre facilement adaptees, contextualisees et traduites. Changements significatifs Lequipe de production a perfectionne les projets et a realise 32 videos de formation a partir de ces projets. Plus de 17 505 agents de sante ont participe a la formation OpenWHO sur les appareils respiratoires dans le cadre de la pandemie de COVID-19 entre le 28 fevrier 2022 et le 30 novembre 2023. Les participants etaient originaires de 189 pays, et 38% d'entre eux (6027/16 047) provenaient de pays a revenus faibles ou intermediaires de la tranche inferieure. Lecons tirees La participation d'ingenieurs biomedicaux et de cliniciens volontaires issus de pays a revenus faibles ou intermediaires a permis de fournir des ressources de formation appropriees. L'OMS devrait continuer a elaborer de tels outils de formation et les proposer sur la plateforme OpenWHO, en particulier pour les situations d'urgence. Situacion Durante la pandemia de la enfermedad por coronavirus de 2019 (COVID-19), se necesito urgentemente oxigenoterapia medica para los pacientes con hipoxemia. Muchos paises de ingresos bajos y medios carecian de los dispositivos medicos necesarios para la oxigenoterapia y de experiencia en su uso. Enfoque Ademas de proporcionar dispositivos medicos para oxigenoterapia a los paises necesitados, la Organizacion Mundial de la Salud (OMS) y sus asociados elaboraron videos de formacion para ayudar al personal sanitario local a seleccionar, utilizar y mantener estos equipos. Varios profesionales sanitarios, entre ellos ingenieros y medicos de paises con recursos limitados, colaboraron en la elaboracion de los borradores de los videos en sus entornos locales. Un equipo de produccion perfecciono estos borradores y entrego los videos de formacion a traves de la plataforma OpenWHO. Marco regional OpenWHO es la plataforma gratuita de libre acceso de la OMS que ofrece cursos para el personal sanitario y otras personas. Los cursos, basados en las orientaciones cientificas y operativas de la OMS, pueden adaptarse, contextualizarse y traducirse facilmente. Cambios importantes El equipo de produccion mejoro los borradores hasta convertirlos en 32 videos de formacion. Mas de 17 505 agentes de salud participaron en el curso OpenWHO sobre equipos respiratorios COVID-19 entre el 28 de febrero de 2022 y el 30 de noviembre de 2023. Los participantes procedian de 189 paises y el 38% (6027/16 047) de paises de ingresos bajos y medios bajos. Lecciones aprendidas La participacion de ingenieros biomedicos y medicos voluntarios de paises de ingresos bajos y medios contribuyo a proporcionar un recurso de formacion adecuado. La OMS deberia seguir desarrollando estas herramientas de formacion y ofrecerlas a traves de OpenWHO, en especial para emergencias., Introduction During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, oxygen therapy and respiratory medical technologies were vital to treat and monitor COVID-19 patients with hypoxaemia. (1,2) As a result, large amounts [...]