Potential applications of optical coherence tomography in posterior segment trauma

To describe potential clinical applications of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in diagnosis and surgical timing in eyes with posterior segment trauma.

In a noncomparative study, 7 consecutive patients who had open-globe or closed-globe injury and were found to have posterior abnormality that could also be detected by OCT are described.

All patients had documented OCT abnormalities in the posterior segment. In one patient with a penetrating injury, two metal foreign bodies were located in the posterior segment, one in the vitreous compartment coupled with inflammatory reaction and localized posterior vitreous detachment and the other embedded in the retina. In a second patient with a penetrating injury, OCT revealed the appearance of posterior vitreous detachment 5 days after injury. A closed-globe injury in one patient resulted in anterior optic neuropathy, manifested as disc edema and thickening of the circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer. The other patients had received blunt trauma and were found to have either full-thickness macular holes (2 patients), retinal pigment epithelium detachment at the papillomacular bundle site (1 patient), or macular edema (1 patient).

OCT may serve as an important adjunct imaging device in evaluation of injuries to the posterior segment, qualitatively and quantitatively. It has potential in diagnosing subtle key abnormalities and in follow-up of these injuries.