title: Blindness after facial trauma.
abstract: Blindness after facial fractures has been reported to occur with an incidence that ranges between 0.67% and 3% depending on the reporting institution. To verify this finding we undertook a retrospective chart review of 5936 patients with facial fractures that occurred over a 12 1/2-year period. We found that vision in 19 eyes were lost in 18 patients. Vision loss was more frequently encountered in Le Fort III level fractures (2.2%) followed distantly by Le Fort II level fractures (0.64%), and zygomatic fractures (0.45%). The cause of blindness was most frequently associated with motor vehicle accidents and gunshot injuries. Injuries of this type require immediate and prompt consultation by the ophthalmologic surgery service.
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Clinic, K.A.T. General District Hospital, Kiffissia, Greece.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zachariades
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Papavassiliou
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Christopoulos
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001766:Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D005130:Eye Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008440:Maxillary Fractures / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009885:Ophthalmology; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000453:epidemiology; D015051:Zygomatic Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology