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What is an Ocular Trauma/Injury?

It is a physical or chemical wound to the eye or eye socket. There are several types of ocular injury. These can be categorized as open globe injury, closed globe injury and ruptures.

Open globe injury can be either penetrating or perforating ocular injury, or caused by intraocular foreign bodies. Closed globe injury can be the result of burns, blunt trauma, contusions, or lamellar lacerations. Some common causes of ocular injuries are fights, falls, blunt objects, sharp objects, play or sports. Ocular injuries are the leading cause of monocular visual disability and non-congenital unilateral blindness in children.

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Diagnosis is made by taking a comprehensive case history and clinical evaluation of the presenting condition. Signs of injury require careful external examination that includes comparison with the unaffected eye.

In the management of ocular injuries, the major objectives looked out for are to relieve pain, restore/preserve vision, and achieve good cosmetic results. Lacerations require different treatments depending on the severity. Penetrating trauma requires prompt surgical repair. For perforating trauma, it requires a gentle covering of the eye.

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Intraocular foreign body management involves surgical intervention. Ruptures may need an eyeshield, narcotic pain medication, tetanus immunization and surgery. Burns require immediate emergency treatment which comprises copious irrigation. Blunt trauma would need observation to handle late complications like proliferative retinopathy.
Protect your eyes, stay safe.

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