Open globe injuries from projectile impact: Initial presentation and outcomes.

PURPOSE

To describe the characteristics and correlates of open globe injuries secondary to projectile injury and outcomes following surgical open globe repair at an urban tertiary referral center.

METHODS

Records of all patients with a history of open globe injury secondary to projectile injury and surgical open globe at a tertiary referral hospital between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2016 were reviewed. Demographics, type of trauma, wound extent, presence of foreign body, and presenting clinical findings are reported. Outcomes for patients with greater than 6 months of follow-up included additional surgeries, final visual acuity, and clinical findings.

RESULTS

Of 214 patients who underwent open globe repair, 73 (34.1%) were due to projectile impact. Mean age was 37.9 years and patients were primarily male (n = 66, P < 0.001). Most injuries resulted in globe laceration (68.5%, P < 0.001), and wound extent was zone 1 (45.2%), zone 2 (20.5%), zone 3 (27.4%), or unknown (6.8%). Associated findings included foreign body (35.6%) and orbital fracture (15%). Of 41 patients with at least 6 months of follow-up, 70% had additional surgeries following their initial surgical repair. Laceration injuries tended to be more anterior (P = 0.002) with better visual outcomes (P = 0.045) than those with globe rupture, and concomitant orbital fracture associated with poor visual outcomes. Overall, 58.5% of patients had 20/40 or better final best-corrected visual acuity.

CONCLUSION

This is the largest report of open globe injury due to projectile impact. Visual prognosis in this population is very good, with most patients achieving better than 20/40 vision in our study.