A machete blow injury to the forehead causes a Chorioretinitis Sclopetaria: A case report

To report a case of Chorioretinitis Sclopetaria after a forehead machete trauma.

A 28-year-old male patient was referred to the ophthalmology department in Guatemala City due to a laceration on the forehead caused by a machete. The visual acuity of his right eye (OD) was decreased to 5/200. Examination of the fundus revealed vitreous hemorrhage and commotio retinae. Imaging with computed tomography displayed a fracture on the temporal wall and the roof of the right orbit. The optical coherence tomography of the right eye showed abnormalities in the external layers and subfoveal hemorrhage. Utilizing ultrasound in B-scan, it was noted that the vitreous was not completely attached to the back of the eye, with the retina being displaced and increased echogenicity in the posterior segment. A vitrectomy was performed two weeks after the initial assessment. Following the surgery, the patient's visual acuity in the right eye improved to 20/200 after four months.

Chorioretinitis Sclopetaria Traumatic is rare, but reports have increased over the past two decades. It can happen not only in response to a high-velocity missile striking or passing adjacent to but not penetrating, the globe but also in response to a strong impact in adjacent areas.