Showing papers on "Eye injuries published in 1973"

Ocular injuries caused by airgun pellets: an analysis of 105 cases.

Abstract: One hundred and five cases of airgun pellet injuries of the eye have been analysed. The average age was 14 and the male to female ratio 7.5:1. Forty-five patients had final visual acuities of 6/18 or less in the injured eye and 19 of these had the eye removed. The two main causes for poor vision were retinal damage and cataract. One patient became completely blind after sympathetic ophthalmitis arising 11 years after the injury. The pellet lodged in the orbit in 14 cases and three of these, together with one who had an intraethmoidal pellet, were investigated for abnormal lead levels in blood and urine. The results were normal.The circumstances of the injury were obtained in 12 cases and most involved careless handling of a gun. Instruction of children and parents in schools and on television, rather than stricter legislation, is suggested as a means of prevention.

Angle recession and secondary glaucoma.

Abstract: In a previous article (Mooney, I972), the incidence and extent of angle tears was reported in a series of 53 cases of traumatic hyphaema examined within 3 years of the date of injury, and it was suggested that those cases with angle tears involving I8o° or more of the anterior chamber angle should have annual tonometry in order to detect the development of glaucoma in the injured eye at as early a stage as possible. The purpose of this paper is to report the findings in a series of cases examined between I I and I4 years after hyphaema due to non-perforating injury. The late development of glaucoma after traumatic hyphaema has been described by several authors. D'Ombrain (1944) drew attention to the association of ocular trauma and chronic glaucoma and described four patients with chronic unilateral glaucoma who had suffered ocular or periorbital injury i8, i6, 20, and 4 years previously. D'Ombrain substantiated his observations with further cases described in articles published in 1945, I946, and I949. He suggested that the glaucoma may be due to a process of fibrosis or cuticular proliferation in the region of the trabecular meshwork as described by Reese (I944). Wolff and Zimmerman (I962) described the early and late histopathological changes of angle recession in a series of eyes enucleated after ocular contusion and confirmed D'Ombrain's theory of the underlying cause. In early cases they noted lacerations into the face of the ciliary body with damage to the ciliary muscle. Those lacerations that passed between the circular and longitudinal muscles of the ciliary body resulted in posterior displacement of the former along with the iris root and pars plicata. They also noted disruption of the trabecular meshwork. In late cases they noted atrophy of the circular muscle fibres that had been separated from the longitudinal fibres and advanced degenerative changes of the trabecular meshwork consisting of atrophy, fibrosis, and hyalinization ofthe trabeculae and obliteration ofthe intertrabecular spaces and Schlemm's canal. In many cases there was a newly formed hyaline membrane covering the inner surface of the trabeculae continuous with Descemet's membrane and often extending into the recessed angle covering the longitudinal muscle. D'Ombrain made no comment about the gonioscopic findings in his cases, but Alper (i963) described the gonioscopic changes in a selected series of 27 non-perforating eye injuries; he noted deepening of the anterior chamber, widening of the ciliary body band and posterior displacement ofthe iris root. Fourteen of his 27 cases had chronic uniocular glaucoma in the injured eye. Pettit and Keates (I963) described eight cases of angle recession after blunt ocular trauma, one of which had chronic uniocular glaucoma 8 years after trauma. Blanton (i964) found I30 cases of angle recession in a series of I82 cases of traumatic hyphaema; four of these patients had chronic uniocular glaucoma diagnosed more than IO years after the injury and all four had angle recession involving more than 1800 of the anterior chamber angle.

Eye injuries in road traffic accidents

Abstract: Summary Sixty-four cases of road traffic accidents with eye injury were seen between January, 1966 and April, 1971. Fifty-one of these cases were studied in detail. Most of the accidents involved frontal collision with another vehicle and produced eye injuries to the unbelted driver or the front seat passenger. Ninety per cent of the eye injuries in this series were caused by tempered glass windscreen. Perforating injuries that are bilateral or involve the expulsion of the lens at the time of accidents have the worse visual prognosis. The mechanism of eye injuries is discussed. Most of the injuries can be prevented by wearing safety belts and installing high penetration resistant laminated glass windscreens.

Fundus changes after traumatic hyphaema.

Abstract: Sixty cases of traumatic hyphaema due to non-perforating injury were admitted during a 3-year period ending in June, I971. Eight patients were not available for out-patient observation and this study deals with the remaining 52 cases. The majority of patients were admitted to hospital and confined to bed except for toilet facilities. All were examined by indirect ophthalmoscopy whilst in the ward but mydriatics werenotused apart from this. More extensive examination with scleral depression and the three-mirror fundus contact lens was deferred until a month after the injury.

Eye injury in road traffic accidents

Abstract: German and French authors have reported that eye injuries are a serious problem in road accidents whilst previous British work has not identified a problem. An analysis of accidents in which there was occupant eye injury has been undertaken from the cases investigated by the Accident Research Unit. Details of the accidents and injuries are reported. A study was made to determine the incidence of eye injury in the City of Birmingham.

Chemical injuries of the eye

Abstract: Chemical eye injuries may be irritative or corrosive. The inflammatory changes due to irritative effects are usually reversible while the protein coagulation in corrosive injuries can destroy the eye. Acid damage may be buffered by coagulated protein whereas alkaline injury often is severe due to deep or progressive penetration. Management invoives immediate, copious, prolonged irrigation and removal of particulate matter as well as careful evaluation of the initial damage and visual acuity. Instillation of antibiotics is indicated but steroids and topical anesthetics are hazardous.

Major ocular trauma seen in a Royal Air Force Hospital during an 18-month period in peace-time.

Abstract: Summary Ten cases of penetrating and three cases of non-penetrating eye injuries seen in a Royal Air Force Hospital in peace-time are reported. Enucleation was necessary in 3 of those with penetrating injuries and vision of 6/12 or better was achieved in 6. In one case, where there was delay in obtaining specialist advice, secondary glaucoma and lens opacities developed. The importance of early referral to specialist units, is emphasized. The success of the Royal Air Force in instituting industrial eye protection is noted.