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Book

Corneal Laceration Repair

Gary L. Legault  1 , Brajesh Kumar  2
In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan.
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Affiliations
Book

Corneal Laceration Repair

Gary L. Legault et al.

Excerpt

Ocular injury is common, with an estimated 24 million people in the United States suffering an eye injury. Injuries to the eye vary in severity, from a small scratch to the cornea (corneal abrasion) to a split in the external structure (globe rupture). Globe rupture can occur in various parts of the eye; one example is a corneal laceration. In a review of 890 eye injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2001 to 2011, 20.7% involved a corneal laceration.

Corneal lacerations vary in size and shape, can be partial or full-thickness, and range from a simple linear pattern to a complex stellate formation. All lacerations require urgent repair to reduce the risk of infection, decrease tissue necrosis, and alleviate patient discomfort. The typical recommendation for a repair is within 24 hours.

The repair of a corneal laceration often requires suturing; however, tissue adhesives or contact lenses can close lacerations less than 2 mm.

The goal of any repair is a watertight closure, restoration of normal anatomy, and limiting the amount of post-operative corneal scarring and astigmatism.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: Gary Legault declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Brajesh Kumar declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

References

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    1. Vlasov A, Ryan DS, Ludlow S, Coggin A, Weichel ED, Stutzman RD, Bower KS, Colyer MH. Corneal and Corneoscleral Injury in Combat Ocular Trauma from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Mil Med. 2017 Mar;182(S1):114-119. - PubMed
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