Apart From Surgical Procedures, Another Important Point to Note in Lacrimal Canalicular Lacerations: Traumatic...

To evaluate fundus examinations in terms of traumatic retinal tears or dialysis that may be related to canalicular lacerations (CLs).

This retrospective study was conducted on patients with CL repair from June 1, 2009 to May 30, 2018. The authors collected the data from the patients' medical records, including their demographic details, mechanism and setting of injury, associated ocular injuries, type of stent used, setting of repairs, duration of follow-up, complications, pre- or intraoperative findings of biomicroscopic and fundus examinations, refractive errors, postoperative follow-up of fundus examination, and management.

Sixty patients (43 males and 17 females) were included in the study. The mean age of all the patients was 27.50 ± 21.72 (min: 1-max: 94) years. Isolated CL was found in 38 patients. Nonisolated CL, which means with some additional pathologies, were found in 22 patients (37%, approximately 1/3). Retinal follow-up records were available in 49 patients with a mean follow-up period of 7.48 ± 9.82 months. Retinal tears were seen in 3 patients (0.05%) with no predisposing risk factors. Two of these tears were found in the follow-up period after the traumas.

Consequent retinal tears after canalicular lacerations were not strongly addressed in previous works. In this study, the authors aimed to view CL from a different perspective. Canalicular laceration is also an ocular trauma that may threaten vision. The authors emphasized that performing detailed fundus examinations and follow-up in all canalicular traumas is necessary.