An unusual case of marble intraocular foreign body

• Published in: Middle East African journal of ophthalmology Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 39 - 42
• Main Authors: Omoti, Afekhide E, Dawodu, Oseluese A, Ogbeide, Osesogie U
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd 01.01.2008; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications
• Subjects: Care and treatment; Case Report; Case studies; Cornea; Diagnosis; Eye; Eye surgery; Foreign bodies (Medical care); Injuries; Marble; Ophthalmology; Risk factors; Surgical outcomes; Ultrasound imaging; Saudi Arabia; marble; toxic; intraocular; foreign body
• ISSN: 0974-9233; 0975-1599; 0975-1599; 0974-9233
• DOI: 10.4103/0974-9233.53375

This report presents a case of marble intraocular foreign body that developed toxic complications during surgery. The patient is a 25 years old male who presented to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital with a history of trauma to the right eye while cutting marble. He was examined, had an ocular ultrasound scan and subsequently had an extracapsular cataract extraction. His visual acuity in the right eye was light perception. There was an entry point on the cornea, the lens was opaque, there was vitreous haemorrhage and the intraocular foreign body was localized in the posterior part of the posterior segment by ultrasound scan. He had extracapsular cataract extraction. During anterior capsulotomy, the cornea suddenly and rapidly became cloudy with a brownish tinge and the corneal epithelium started desquamating.Marble on its own may not be toxic but the other chemicals including cement, used in the processing of the marble were responsible for this delayed toxicity. Ultrasound scan is valuable in localisation of intraocular foreign bodies.