[Self-inflicted injuries of the eye: differential diagnosis of self-inflicted lacerating corneal injury]

Abstract

Background: Recognising self-inflicted injuries is the prerequisite to initiate specific, psychiatric, therapy of the often underlying psychiatric disorders. The differential diagnosis of Oedipism, self-inflicted ocular injury, includes Munchausen's-syndrome, neuroses and schizophrenic psychoses.

Patient: We present a patient in whom a self-inflicted corneal lancinating injury was the first sign of an acute relapse of his previously known paranoid-hallucinating schizophrenia, requiring immediate treatment.

Conclusion: In patients with unexplained ocular disease self-inflicted ocular injury needs to be taken into consideration as the treatment of such patients requires close cooperation of Ophthalmologists and Psychiatrists.