Circumstance and outcome of ocular paintball injuries.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the circumstance and outcome of ocular injuries attributable to paintball projectiles.


METHODS
Retrospective interventional case series.


METHODS
Institutional review board approved retrospective chart review of 19 consecutive eyes with paintball injuries with minimum follow-up of 3 months.


RESULTS
Ten eyes (53%) had final visual acuity of 20/40 or better, while seven (36%) were 20/200 or worse. Ten eyes were injured in paintball games, (two formal and eight informal), while nine (47%) were injured by accidents or assaults not associated with any "game."


CONCLUSIONS
Paintball injuries often cause severe and permanent visual loss. Nearly half of these injuries occur outside a war game setting as accidents or assaults.
Greven
Craig M
CM
Wake Forest University Eye Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157-1033, USA. cgreven@wfubmc.edu
Bashinsky
Alice L
AL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010988:Play and Playthings / Q000293:injuries*; D011356:Product Labeling; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity