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Electrical injury of the eye
S M Al Rabiah1, D B Archer, R Millar
1Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's University of Belfast, UK.
International Ophthalmology
|October 1, 1987
Summary
Electrical facial burns caused severe eye injuries, leading to enucleation of one eye and vision loss in the other. Diagnostic tests helped predict the visual prognosis in this severe electrical injury case.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Trauma Surgery
- Electrical Engineering
Background:
- Facial electrical burns are rare but can cause severe ocular damage.
- High-tension electrical cable contact poses significant risks to facial and ocular structures.
Observation:
- A 17-year-old male sustained facial burns from electrical cable contact.
- The right eye required enucleation due to severe thermal coagulative injuries.
- The left eye developed a dense cataract, necessitating lensectomy, with residual vision loss.
Findings:
- Histopathology revealed intact retinal neuropile but compromised retinal and choroidal circulations in the enucleated eye.
- The remaining eye showed retinal atrophy, vascular attenuation, and optic nerve degeneration.
- Electroretinography and visually evoked responses aided in predicting visual outcomes.
Implications:
- This case highlights the devastating ocular consequences of high-tension electrical injuries.
- Understanding the pathophysiology is crucial for managing similar severe facial burn cases.
- Diagnostic electrophysiological tests are valuable for assessing visual prognosis in complex ocular trauma.