An unambiguous common language that all professionals in a given field can confidently use is critical for communication, clinical management and research. After almost 25 years, the Birmingham Eye Trauma System (BETTS) is currently the most widely accepted system for classification of ocular trauma.(1)
However, several gaps and controversies remain in terminology for ocular trauma (2) including:
The International Globe and Adnexal Trauma Epidemiology Study (IGATES) Terminology Consensus group was established to address these discrepancies in terminology for Ophthalmic (Ocular & Adnexal) Trauma. The IGATES Terminology Survey is supported by APOTS (Asia Pacific Ophthalmic Trauma Society), ASOT (American Ophthalmic Trauma Society), COTS (Chinese Ocular Trauma Society), Ocular Trauma Society of India (OTSI) and ISOT (International Society of Ocular Trauma).
We are employing a modified Delphi technique to revise and confirm terms for classification of ocular trauma from BETTS and to develop and confirm additional terms not captured in BETTS, including mechanism and extent of injury. As an expert in the field of ocular trauma, you have been selected to complete this survey, which will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. All answers are considered to be your own opinion, and filling out the survey will serve as your consent to participate. The study has been approved by the Johns Hopkins Medicine Institutional Review Board (IRB00257431) as an exempt study (Principal Investigator Fasika Woreta, MD, MPH; fworeta1@jhmi.edu).
The aim of this survey is to determine clinically appropriate terms including:
All the terms that have agreement less than 67% in Round 1 of the Delphi will be discussed in a subsequent Delphi round with “Dialogue” till the consensus is reached. The participants will be asked to suggest new nomenclature, if they deem appropriate, to describe the entity.
Thank you for your participation!
By providing your name and email address you are consenting to be contacted to participate in Delphi 2 phase of the survey. Any personal details will be maintained separately to the survey responses. Email addresses will only be used to contact you for Delphi 2 with any personal data (including your name and email address) deleted on completion of the survey.