Latha Hariharan 1 , Arthi Mohankumar
BACKGROUND The firm belief that only a severe blow to the eye will affect the vision, often results in complacency and delay in reporting to the ophthalmologist. This study is to emphasize that trivial injuries uncared for will result in severe visual deficiency. MATERIALS AND METHODS 150 cases of blunt injuries who presented to our hospital were in included in our study after applying appropriate inclusion and exclusion criteria. 42% of patients had anterior segment injuries, 20% had posterior segment injuries, 28 % had combined anterior and posterior segment injuries and 10% of them had orbital injuries. RESULTS 102 males and 42 females were included in the study. Among the anterior segment manifestations the commonest presentations were subconjunctival haemorrhage and iridocyclitis the incidence of both being 16%. Traumatic iridocyclitis was seen in 16%, iris sphincter tear was found in 15% and hyphaema was found in 14% of the patients. Iridodialysis was found in 9% and 6% of the patients developed traumatic rosette type of cataract. Subluxation or posterior dislocation of the lens or the posterior chamber intraocular lens was found in 5%. Among the posterior segment injuries, the commonest finding in our study was traumatic macular oedema (commotio retinae) which was seen in 35%. Vitreous haemorrhage was found in around 30%. 19% had retinal detachment and 11% ended in traumatic optic neuropathy. Choroidal tear and chorioretinitis sclopetaria were seen in 2% and traumatic macular hole was seen in 1% of the patients. CONCLUSION Therefore even in patients with no gross external injuries, sight threatening posterior segment injuries may occur. Therefore ophthalmic examination should be mandatory however trivial the trauma maybe
