Global, Regional, National and HDI-Stratified Burdens of Intraocular Foreign Bodies from 1990 to 2021: A Trend Analysis

Objective: This study aims to analyze global trends and disparities in the incidence and burden of intraocular foreign bodies (IOFBs) from 1990 to 2021 across 204 countries and territories, stratified by region, age, sex, socio-demographic index (SDI) and human development index (HDI), while assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Utilizing data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 (GBD 2021), we extracted the age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR), years lived with disability (YLDs), and the number of cases of IOFBs. Estimated annual percentage changes (EAPC) were calculated to evaluate trends. Results: Globally, the number of IOFB cases increased by 33% (21.59 to 28.67 million) from 1990 to 2021. While ASIR declined overall (EAPC: −0.99), an upward trend emerged post-2010. High-SDI regions and very high HDI countries exhibited the highest ASIR, whereas low-SDI regions saw the largest case growth (129%). Males aged 25–54 years comprised the majority of cases. COVID-19 altered injury patterns, shifting incidents to domestic settings. Regions like East Asia and Brazil demonstrated significant ASIR reductions, while Central Latin America experienced rising trends. Similarly, regions and countries such as East Asia and Brazil showed significant decreases in YLDs rate, while Southeast Asia and the Philippines showed a slight upward trend. Conclusion: Despite the current decline in ASIR from 30 years ago, it has shown an upward trend since 2010, indicating that IOFBs is an ongoing public health challenge. Disparities due to socioeconomic development, occupational risks, demographic factors, and epidemics necessitate targeted interventions. In the future, strengthening occupational regulations, healthcare capacity, and data-driven prevention strategies appear quite necessary.