Management Of Open Globe Injuries And Concern About Sympathetic Ophthalmia: A Case Report

Abstract

An 18 year old male with open globe injury, eyelid lacerations and orbital wall fractures related to severe blunt trauma was referred to our clinic for primary evisceration and eyelid repair. As the patient refused the removal of the eye; the globe, eyelids and canaliculi were sutured primarily first. After a month the patient accepted the removal of the eye due to progressive phthisis bulbi and underwent evisceration 5 weeks following the injury. He has been followed up for 2 years after the second surgery with an acceptable cosmetic result and without any complication. Although very rare, it is very important to remember that there is a risk of sympathetic ophthalmia (SO) in severe eye injuries and prophylaxis by removing the eye is controversial.

Keywords

• sympathetic ophthalmia
• trauma
• evisceration
• enucleation
• canalicular laceration