SUMMARY
We have done a review of the accidents of work which were recorded in the Escritório Regional de Saúde - 24 (ERSA), between 1988 and 1992. The evaluation of the notified ocular accidents was done considering the sex, age, occupation, ethiological agents, affected eye and period of absence from work.
Ocular accidents represented 8.7% of the total accidents of work. The masculine sex was the most affected (88.1%) and agriculture was the activity which presented the highest rate (29.8%). Ages from 20 to 29 were prevalent, though there was a significant incidence rate between 10 and 19 - year old workers. Foreign bodies in the cornea were the main ethiological agents (70.8%), followed by contusions (14.2%) and chemical burns (7.5%).
Most accidents were superficial and leading 46.4% of the workers to take leaves of absence of up to 3 days and 71.8% to be 5 days away from work. Perforating wounds occurred in 2.2% of the cases.