Prognostic indicators of open globe injuries in children

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the prognostic indicators of visual outcome in children with open globe injuries.

Basic procedures: The charts of 62 patients, 16 years of age or younger, who had been treated for open globe injuries were reviewed.

Main findings: The types of injury included penetrating (30 eyes), rupture (20 eyes), intraocular foreign body (10 eyes), and perforation (2 eyes). Sharp objects, such as knives or scissors, were the most common causes of open globe injuries. A visual acuity (VA) of at least 20/40 was achieved in 80.8% (21/26) of eyes with a corneal injury only, in 45.5% (5/11) of eyes with additional lens damage, and in 17.4% (4/23) of eyes with extensive anterior and posterior injuries.

Conclusions: Unfavorable outcomes were related to the location of injury, the extent of injury, the initial presentation of hyphema, vitreous hemorrhage, retina detachment, cornea wound across the pupil, and the development of endophthalmitis.