Title : Intimate partner violence and ocular injury: A scoping review

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health issue and an underrecognized cause of ocular and orbital trauma. Ophthalmologists are uniquely positioned to identify IPV-related injuries due to the high frequency of head, neck, and facial trauma among affected patients. This scoping review synthesizes current literature regarding the epidemiology, injury patterns, screening practices, management, and outcomes of IPV-related ocular trauma.

Methods: Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines and the Arksey and O’Malley framework, a comprehensive literature search was conducted using MEDLINE (OVID), Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Google Scholar from 1990 to 2025. Search strategies incorporated controlled vocabulary and keyword combinations related to IPV and ocular injury. After duplicate removal and screening, 14 studies met the inclusion criteria for final analysis.

Results: IPV accounted for 2.6–10.2% of ocular trauma and up to 10.2% of orbital fractures in women. Injuries disproportionately involved the head, neck, and face, with frequent manifestations including orbital floor fractures, zygomaticomaxillary complex fractures, globe rupture, hyphema, retinal detachment, and enucleation. IPV-related injuries were associated with more severe ocular outcomes compared to non-IPV assault injuries, including higher surgical intervention and enucleation rates. Educational initiatives and standardized screening protocols significantly improved social work referrals, safety assessments, and multidisciplinary involvement. However, substantial underrecognition persists due to inconsistent screening practices, inadequate provider training, and gaps in documentation. Existing literature also demonstrates limited longitudinal outcomes data and a lack of ophthalmology-specific validated screening tools.

Conclusions: IPV is a significant yet underdetected cause of vision-threatening ocular trauma. Recognition of characteristic injury patterns and implementation of systematic screening practices may improve identification and intervention for patients experiencing IPV. Future research should focus on validated ophthalmology-specific screening tools, longitudinal visual outcomes, and multidisciplinary intervention strategies to improve patient safety and care.

Annika Jyothi is a second-year medical student at Baylor College of Medicine with interests in ophthalmology, ocular trauma, and public health. Her research focuses on healthcare disparities, vision-threatening injury, and multidisciplinary patient care, including work on intimate partner violence–related ocular trauma. She is also involved in community outreach initiatives supporting women and children affected by homelessness, substance abuse, and domestic violence. Her interests include integrating clinical research, advocacy, and compassionate care to improve outcomes for vulnerable populations.