[Posterior segment intraocular foreign bodies. Clinical and epidemiological features]

To evaluate the epidemiologic factors, associated ocular involvement and visual results in patients with intraocular foreign bodies lodged in the posterior segment.

In this retrospective study, the clinical records of 21 patients admitted to the hospital with intraocular foreign bodies between August 1994 and March 1998 were reviewed and evaluated in regards to age, gender, type of injury, foreign body nature, need for surgical intervention, complications and final visual acuity.

All the patients were males, with a mean age of 38.7 years and an average follow-up period of 15.04 months. The foreign bodies were caused by work accidents in 2/3 of the cases and 71.4% involved ferromagnet metal. Sixteen patients underwent vitrectomy to remove the intraocular foreign body. Final visual acuity was equal to or greater than 0.4 in 57.9% of the patients and there was no light perception in 15.7%. The principal late complications were retinal detachment (19.04%), pthisis bulbi (14.2%) and cataracts (9.5%).

Most of the intraocular foreign bodies are found in young males as a consequence of work accidents. Most patients require vitrectomy to remove the foreign body and even though good visual results are obtained in many cases, other cases suffer severe visual loss.