Ocular injuries in automobile crashes.

Tempered windshields commonly used in Europe have been shown to be related to the relatively high incidence of ocular injuries. Although windshields of the High Penetration Resistant (HPR) type in cars in North America are not at all significantly involved in ocular injuries, still about 50 % of the injuries of the eye area are caused by glass. The HPR windshield probably is the main reason for the relatively low occurrence of ocular injuries in United States crashes compared to these injuries reported from countries with tempered windshields. No ocular injuries were observed among belted occupants in this study. It appears that the increased use of lap-shoulder belts would decrease the likelihood of occupant contact with the windshield, mirrors, roof support, steering wheel, and instrument panel- about two thirds of the occupant contacts related to ocular injury- and thus reduce the incidence of ocular injuries leading to decreased vision.