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Abstract
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PURPOSE: To characterize ocular injuries from drive-by paintball shootings with a focus on the severity of injuries sustained, clinical management, and visual outcomes.
DESIGN: Retrospective, interventional case series.
METHODS: Setting: University practice and emergency department.
PATIENT POPULATION: Patients evaluated by the ophthalmology service for paintball injuries.
OBSERVATION PROCEDURE: Age, gender, eye laterality, mechanism of injury, initial best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and initial diagnosis.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical intervention(s), BCVA at last follow-up visit, and severity of injuries with a focus on ruptured globes.
RESULTS: Twenty patients suffered unilateral ocular injuries from drive-by paintball shootings between January 2020 and December 2021. Median follow-up interval was 7.1 weeks (range: 3 days - 11.4 months). Average patient age at presentation was 36.6 years (range: 13 - 64 years-old). Fourteen patients (70%) had an initial BCVA of counting fingers (CF) or worse. Six patients (30%) suffered ruptured globe injury requiring surgical repair, of whom three (15%) underwent subsequent evisceration. Twelve patients (60%) suffered ocular injuries requiring surgical intervention. Fifteen ocular surgeries were performed on 9 patients (45%) at our institution with 3 patients referred to outside providers for definitive surgical management due to insurance. BCVA at last-follow up visit was no light perception (NLP) in five patients.
CONCLUSIONS: The severity of injury following paintball-induced ocular trauma is higher in this case series than what has previously been reported in the literature. Paintball guns can cause devastating ocular injury when used as an assault weapon and their use in unregulated settings bears further scrutiny.
Language: en |