Syrian Civil-War-Related Intraocular Foreign Body Injuries: A Four-Year Retrospective Analysis

• Published in: Seminars in ophthalmology Vol. 32; no. 5; p. 625
• Main Authors: Gurler, Bulent, Coskun, Erol, Oner, Veysi, Comez, Aysegul, Erbagci, Ibrahim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 03.09.2017
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Endophthalmitis - etiology; Eye Foreign Bodies - complications; Eye Foreign Bodies - physiopathology; Eye Foreign Bodies - surgery; Eye Injuries, Penetrating - complications; Eye Injuries, Penetrating - physiopathology; Eye Injuries, Penetrating - surgery; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Retinal Detachment - etiology; Retrospective Studies; Syria; Visual Acuity - physiology; Vitreous Hemorrhage - etiology; Warfare; Young Adult; trauma; vitreous; vision; Retina; surgery
• ISSN: 1744-5205
• DOI: 10.3109/08820538.2016.1142578

To analyze the data of patients who underwent vitreoretinal surgery due to intraocular foreign body (IOFB) injuries that occurred in the Syrian civil war. Seventy-eight eyes of 78 patients who underwent vitreoretinal surgery due to IOFB injuries that occurred during the Syrian civil war were analyzed. Forty-four eyes (56.4%) had traumatic cataract, 44 (56.4%) had retinal tears, 42 (53.8%) had vitreous hemorrhage, 18 (23%) had retinal detachment, 12 (15.3%) had endophthalmitis, and eight eyes had hyphema (10.2%). IOFBs consisted of metal in 62 eyes (79.4%), stone in eight eyes (10.2%), organic material in four eyes (5.1%), and glass in four eyes (5.1%). Approximately 86% of the eyes had initial VAs of 4/200 or worse. However, VAs improved in 64 eyes (82%) after the surgeries. Despite delays in treatment and the severity of injuries, 82% (64/78) of the eyes had an improvement in VA after the surgeries.