An epidemiologic and pathologic study of globes enucleated following trauma

• Published in: Ophthalmic surgery Vol. 23; no. 6; p. 409
• Main Authors: Freitag, S K, Eagle, Jr, R C, Jaeger, E A, Dunn, E S, Jeffers, J B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-06-1992
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Child; Continental Population Groups; Demography; Eye Enucleation - statistics & numerical data; Eye Injuries, Penetrating - epidemiology; Eye Injuries, Penetrating - ethnology; Eye Injuries, Penetrating - pathology; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Philadelphia - epidemiology; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Rupture; Seasons; Time Factors; Visual Acuity; Philadelphia
• ISSN: 0022-023X

This retrospective study examined demographic, clinical, and histopathologic factors in 24 traumatically ruptured globes that were enucleated at Wills Eye Hospital during a 2-year period. The majority of these injuries occurred in a violent assault setting with a blunt mechanism, during the evening and early morning hours, and in the fall and winter months. Most patients were black males, and 67% were substance abusers. Clinically, the initial visual acuity in 96% of the eyes was light perception or worse. Five of the eyes were enucleated primarily. Gross examination of the globes revealed that 92% of the wounds involved the sclera, 83% of the eyes had hyphema, and 71% of the lacerations were longer than 10 mm. Histopathologic examination demonstrated that the majority of eyes had fragmented or missing lenses, disrupted ciliary bodies, and detached choroids. Ninety-six percent of the retinas were detached. There was one case of acute endophthalmitis.