High-Pressure Water Jet Ocular Injuries during Riot Control: A Case Series

Eye injuries caused by a high-pressure water jet are rarely reported and mostly occur in sporadic trauma. This study aimed to describe various ocular injuries caused by water jets, with a particular emphasis on injuries inflicted by water cannon vehicles used during riots.

This case series presents eleven eyes of 9 patients injured from a direct high-pressure water jet used by the police in Israel as a riot control measure during a demonstration. All patients admitted to the emergency room with blunt ocular trauma had undergone clinical examination by an ophthalmologist. Of which, hyphema was the most common ocular injury observed, affecting 8 out of the 11 eyes examined, followed by traumatic mydriasis and vitreous hemorrhage in 54% and 36% of patients, respectively. In this series, 2 of 9 patients required ocular surgery. Injuries requiring surgical intervention were retinal detachment, lens dislocation, and vitreous hemorrhage.

Water jet injuries may inflict severe damage to the globe and orbital structures. Care should be taken in preventing such injuries inflicted by water cannon vehicles used during riots.