Purpose: To investigate characteristics of Open Globe Injuries (OGI) that presented with Intra-Ocular Foreign Body (IOFB), along with their long-term visual outcomes, complications and need for subsequent surgeries.
Methods: Retrospective interventional consecutive case series of OGIs with IOFBs that presented to the Eye Trauma service at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear from 2010 to 2015. Data collected included time from injury to OGI repair, location of injury and IOFB, retinal detachment (RD) rate, presenting and final visual acuity (VA) and subsequent surgeries.
Results: Fifty-seven consecutive cases of OGIs with IOFBs were included. The majority of patients were male (93%), mean age was 37 years and mean follow-up was 28 +/- 22 months. The median time from injury to OGI repair was 0 days (range: 0-16 days). Overall, 38/57 (66.7%) eyes achieved final vision of 20/40 or better and 43/57 (75.4%) vision of 20/150 or better. Zone I injuries were the most common (86%), followed by Zone II (16%), and Zone III (10%). 33 cases had IOFBs in the anterior segment only and 24 cases had posterior segment involvement. In total, 30% of cases (17/57) were complicated by an RD, 58.3% (14/24) in the posterior versus 9.1% (3/33) in the anterior IOFB group.( p<0.01). There were no cases of endophthalmitis. Posterior IOFB and higher zone of injury were found to be risk factors for RD both at presentation (all p<0.05) and post-primary repair.(all p<0.05) Posterior IOFB was associated with higher vitrectomy rates both at presentation (p<0.0001) and post-primary repair (p=0.002) and worse long-term visual outcome (p = 0.014).
Conclusion: OGIs with IOFB involving the posterior segment are associated with higher complication and re-operation rates and worse visual prognosis compared to those involving the anterior segment only.
Keywords: Intraocular foreign body; ocular trauma; open globe injury.