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Ocular consequences of bottle rocket injuries in children and adolescents
Mehnaz Khan1, David Reichstein, Franco M Recchia
1Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Insights
Bottle rockets frequently cause severe eye injuries in children, leading to significant vision loss. Prompt medical intervention is crucial for managing these traumatic ocular injuries.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Trauma Surgery
Background:
- Bottle rockets are a common cause of pediatric eye injuries.
- Understanding the spectrum of injuries is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the types of ocular injuries from bottle rockets in children and adolescents.
- To assess the visual outcomes and long-term morbidity associated with these injuries.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective review of medical records was conducted for patients aged 18 or younger.
- Data collected included injury type, required interventions, and visual acuity at follow-up.
Main Results:
- Eleven eyes from 10 pediatric patients sustained injuries including corneal defects, hyphema, iritis, iridodialysis, cataract, retinal dialysis, and vitreous hemorrhage.
- Eight eyes required initial surgical intervention, with three patients needing further procedures.
- Of 10 eyes with follow-up, 6 had visual acuity of 20/200 or worse, with permanent impairment often due to traumatic maculopathy.
Conclusions:
- Bottle rockets pose a significant risk of severe ocular injury in the pediatric population.
- These injuries can result in substantial and permanent vision loss.
Objective:
To describe the spectrum of ocular injuries and associated visual morbidity in the pediatric and adolescent population caused by bottle rockets.
Methods:
Retrospective review of consecutive medical records of patients 18 years or younger seen during a recent 4-year period. Outcome measures were ocular injuries at time of visit, interventions required, visual acuity at most recent follow-up, and most recent anatomic findings.
Results:
Eleven eyes from 10 patients (8 boys and 2 girls aged 5-17 years) were identified. Significant ocular injuries included corneal epithelial defect (7 eyes), hyphema (6 eyes), traumatic iritis (2 eyes), iridodialysis (4 eyes), cataract (4 eyes), retinal dialysis (1 eye), and vitreous hemorrhage (2 eyes). Eight eyes required primary intervention (lensectomy in 4 eyes, corneal debridement in 2 eyes, globe exploration in 1 eye, and retinal laser photocoagulation in 1 eye). Three patients required additional procedures. These secondary interventions included pars plana vitrectomy (1 eye), muscle surgery for sensory strabismus (1 eye), corneal debridement (1 eye), and intraocular lens placement (1 eye). Most recent visual acuity (10 eyes with follow-up) was 20/30 or better in 4 eyes and 20/200 or worse in 6 eyes (for 1 eye, the patient was unavailable for follow-up). Permanent visual impairment was typically due to traumatic maculopathy.
Conclusion:
Bottle rockets can cause significant ocular injury in children, often with permanent loss of vision.
