Citation

Ukponmwan CU. West Afr. J. Med. 2000; 19(1): 71-76.

Affiliation

University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, West African College of Physicians and West African College of Surgeons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10821091

Abstract

Chemical injury to the eye is still an important cause of blindness and serious complications in Benin City, Nigeria. Twelve patients were seen with chemical injury to the eye over a five year period. They were all male patients. Ten were assault cases and two were accidental cases. The most common injurious agent was ammonia. Complications seen were corneal opacification in ten patients, symblepharon in nine patients, entropion, ectropion, cataract and staphyloma developed in some of the patients. There were four cases of bilateral blindness and six cases of unilateral blindness. Late presentation to hospital and failure to initiate adequate first aid treatment were contributing factors to the poor outcome. Health education of the public about the importance of prompt, prolonged irrigation of the chemically injured eye and early presentation to the hospital is advised.

Language: en