title: Mechanical injuries of the eye.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Traumatic mechanical damage of the eye can cause serious morphological and functional changes in eye structures. Thorough examination and appropriate approach are essential in successful treatment and maintenance of visual functions.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the years 2005-2007, 78 patients with mechanical eye injury were treated at the Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava. We treated 17 eyes with globe contusions, 19 eyes with penetrating injuries, 16 eyes with intraocular foreign bodies, 2 eyes with perforating injuries and 24 eyes with globe ruptures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Final visual acuity better than 5/50 was achieved in 7 eyes (41.2%) with contusion, 15 eyes (78.9%) wih penetrating injuries, 10 eyes (62.5%) with intraocular foreign bodies and in 5 eyes (20.8%) with globe ruptures. Twelve eyes (50.0%) from the group of patients with globe ruptures were without light perception.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Traumatic mechanical damage of the eye can result in serious morphological and functional impact on eye tissue structures. Globe rupture often causes a visual loss despite advances in diagnostic and surgical procedures. Proper examination and appropriate approach are essential in successful treatment and saving the visual functions. Modern diagnostic and surgical procedures can save many eyes and maintain their useful function (Tab. 9, Fig. 2, Ref. 12).
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Potockova
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Strmen
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Krasnik
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Olah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014792:Visual Acuity