Clinical epidemiological characterization of patients with intraocular foreign body

Abstract

Objective: To characterize patients with intraocular foreign body according to clinical and epidemiological variables.

Materials and methods: An observational, descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in patients with intraocular foreign body who attended Vitreo Retina consultation of Ramón Pando Ferrer Cuban Institute of Ophthalmology in from January 2018 to January 2019.

Results: Males (97.3%) predominated in the study, in the age group between 31 and 45 years (40.5%), with a mean age of 38.72 ± 14.62. The injured right eye was reported in 51.4% of the patients and the initial visual acuity of light perception was the most frequent in 31.6%. The source responsible for 84.2% of the traumas matched up to metal-to-metal hammering, hence 97.4% of the foreign bodies were metallic and 64.9% occurred at home and 97.4% unprotected. The most common trauma was penetrating (94.7%), in zone I (71.1%), with a preretinal foreign body in 42.1%. 78.9% was extracted. Endophthalmitis was diagnosed in 10.5% of cases, of which the total was repaired in the first 12 hours, 7.9% received antibiotic prophylaxis and 5.3% presented lens disruption.

Conclusions: Intraocular foreign body traumas are more frequent in men between 31 and 45 years of age. In addition, they are produced as a result of hammering metal against metal without the use of protection. As a consequence, metallic bodies are the most common, with a usual preretinal location and most of them extracted. Penetrating injuries in zone I are the most reported, with severe visual impairment. By last; endophthalmitis developed in a low percentage.