Elastic cord-induced ocular injuries.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the incidence and severity of ocular injuries caused by elastic cords.


METHODS
A retrospective review of patients' records from the Emergency Department was conducted to identify cases of elastic cord-induced ocular injuries. Over a 67-month period starting in October 1996, 28 patients (24 males and 4 females, mean age 38.6 years) with elastic cord-associated ocular trauma were identified. Patient demographics, mechanism of injury, presenting and final visual acuity, ocular injuries, medical and surgical intervention and length of follow-up were noted.


RESULTS
The most common anterior and posterior segment injuries were hyphaema/microhyphaema (71.4%) and commotio retinae (60.7%), respectively. The most severe injuries sustained were corneal or scleral lacerations (7.1%), formation of retinal tears (10.7%) or retinal detachment (3.6%), lens subluxation (7.1%) and traumatic cataract (7.1%). Eight patients (28.6%) were admitted for surgical or medical treatment. Mean visual acuity was 20/40 on presentation and 20/25 at the end of the follow-up period.


CONCLUSIONS
Elastic cords may cause a wide range of ocular traumas of varying severity. Appropriate design modifications that would prevent the spontaneous release of their hooks are likely to make their use significantly safer.
Brouzas
D
D
Department of Ophthalmology, Hippocration General Hospital of Athens, 114 Vas. Sofias Av., Greece.
Charakidas
A
A
Papagiannakopoulos
D
D
Koukoulomatis
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004438:Ecchymosis / Q000150:complications; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015807:Eye Injuries, Penetrating / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006988:Hyphema / Q000150:complications; D007906:Lens Subluxation / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity