An unusual complication of perforating wounds of the eye

Abstract

In two patients, after a perforating wound of the eye, a cilium was found in the vitreous. In the first patient one end of a cilium was stuck in the retina, the other end floated freely in the vitreous of the right eye. During a 5-year follow-up no inflammatory signs were observed. Visual acuity remained 1.0. In the second patient a large metal foreign body was removed from the vitreous of the left eye immediately after the injury. A week later, while parsplana vitrectomy was being performed for a vitreous haemorrhage caused by the trauma, an eyelash was discovered in the vitreous, but it could not be removed. During the follow-up period, which included the removal of a traumatic cataract, the eyelash caused no inflammatory reaction. A year later the visual acuity of the left eye was 1.0. In the literature 17 reports were found of cases with one or more eyelashes in the posterior segment of the eye. In 5 cases this was discovered on clinical examination. Once the eyelash was spontaneously extruded from the bulbus, once panophthalmia developed after the injury. In 3 cases the eye could be saved, twice with useful visual acuity, in spite of retention of the eyelash.