Citation

Botsford BW, Williams AM, Martel JN. Retin. Cases Brief Rep. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and Ear Institute, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Wolters Kluwer)

DOI

10.1097/ICB.0000000000000963

PMID

31958106

Abstract

PURPOSE: To characterize evolution of macular injury from a high-powered blue handheld laser using multimodal imaging and describe successful surgical treatment.

METHODS: Observational clinical case report.

RESULTS: A 17-year-old boy presented with unilateral acute loss of vision with discrete white macular lesions, full-thickness disruption of retinal layers, and hyperreflective material at the fovea on optical coherence tomography caused by exposure to a 445 nm blue-light handheld laser with power up to 2,000 mW characterized as a Class IV laser. The injury evolved into an approximately 950-μm full-thickness macular hole 3 weeks later with visual acuity of 20/400. Vitrectomy and internal limiting membrane peel resulted in anatomic success and final vision at 4 months of 20/25.

CONCLUSION: High-powered lasers can induce significant disruption of retinal layers, inflammatory debris, and full-thickness macular holes with momentary exposure that, despite poor anatomic prognostic factors, can have successful surgical outcomes.

Language: en