[Chalcosis bulbi recognized 22 years after trauma].
OBJECTIVE
To report a case of chalcosis bulbi diagnosed 22 years after accidental entry of a foreign object into the eye.


METHODS
A 57 year-old woman underwent surgery for vitreous opacity and cataract of unknown cause. During the operation, an intraocular foreign body was found in the vitreous at the pars plana, and was removed. The object was a coated copper wire, 3.5 mm in length and 0.2 mm in thickness. She recalled that such a wire had accidentally entered her eye 22 years previously. Copper particles were detected by copper staining of the anterior lens capsule.


RESULTS
Fine, sharp metal fragments may penetrate the eye with little resistance. When the injury results in minimal subjective symptoms, the person may not seek examination by an ophthalmologist. In the present case, the foreign body was a fragment of coated copper wire. The exposed metal surface was limited and the copper probably dissolved very slowly. This may account for the lack of significant symptoms. In the Japanese literature, there are many reports of coated copper wire as foreign body in the eye, but few lead to characteristic chalcosis bulbi.
Yagihashi
Tomoyuki
T
Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Medical University Hachiohji Medical Center, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan. yagi1007@aol.com
Wakabayashi
Yoshihiro
Y
Fujita
Satoshi
S
Fujita
Yasushi
Y
Usui
Masahiko
M
D002386:Cataract / Q000209:etiology; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D003300:Copper; D005129:Eye Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000601:surgery*
D003300:Copper