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Affiliation
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Department of Ophthalmology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. |
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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: Ocular injury due to fireworks requires urgent ophthalmic assessment and management to preserve vision.
METHODS: Spectrum of injury, type of intervention, visual outcome, and reasons for visual loss were assessed in consecutive patients presenting over 2 years with firework-related eye injury. The final visual outcome was recorded as best-corrected visual acuity.
RESULTS: In the 96 patients (75 males) enrolled, 122 eyes were involved. Twenty-six patients had bilateral eye injury. The median (interquartile) age was 14 (8, 28.5) years. Injuries occurred during Diwali festival (59.4%) and funeral processions (20.8%); over half (53.8%) were bystanders. Injury was due to negligence (78%), device malfunction (12.5%), and attempts to reignite (5.2%) or recover failed device (4.2%). Presenting symptoms were redness (100%), pain (97%), watering (86%), and reduced vision (77%). Facial laceration, contusion, or hematoma occurred in 13 patients. The most frequent adnexal and ocular surface injuries were lid burns (57.3%), edema (44.2%), charred eyelashes (24.6%), and laceration (13.9%). Open-globe injury occurred in 8 eyes. Common anterior segment injuries were corneal epithelial defect (51.6%) and hyphema (20.5%). Posterior segment injuries included commotio retinae (13.1%) and Berlin's edema (7.4%). Surgical treatment was required in 15 eyes; 107 (88%) were managed conservatively. At study completion, of the 99 eyes evaluated, 21 had reduced visual acuity (<6/6) including 7 with monocular blindness. Factors associated with poor vision were open-globe injury (P < 0.001) and poor initial visual acuity (P = 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Open-globe injury and poor visual acuity at presentation predict the final visual outcome. Monocular blindness following firecracker injury is common.
Copyright: © 2020 Journal of Emergencies, Trauma, and Shock.
Language: en |