[Ocular injuries in mild facial trauma]

Ocular contusions are common and cause significant morbidity. The mechanism of ocular contusion is a decrease in the length of the anterioposterior axis whereas the transversal axis increases. Epidemiology data shows that young men are most injured in relation with sports, aggression, work, or car or work accidents. Injury to the ocular surface (conjunctiva and cornea) is minor. The iris is very frail, usually leading to hyphema which can progress to glaucoma. A cataract can appear after a contusion but usually years after the trauma. Final visual acuity can be compromised by retinal contusion or retinal detachment (due to a retinal dehiscence or post-traumatic dialysis). The worst outcome is optic neuropathy. The most difficult task is to predict visual acuity after the initial ocular lesion.