Intraocular foreign bodies: myths and truths

Over the centuries, the management of eyes with intraocular foreign bodies (IOFB) has posed a special challenge to the physician, and the anxiety created by such injuries has never abated. During the past few decades, several new diagnostic tests, IOFB removal techniques, and methods to treat the complications of the injury have been introduced. Nevertheless, old habits die hard: many of the management options that used to be standard are not appropriate any more but have proved difficult to change. This article reviews over forty of these die-hard myths and confronts them with factual statements published in the peer-review international literature.