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Proper management of children with traumatic corneal injuries can preserve vision
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Most children who sustain penetrating corneal injuries can achieve good visual outcomes if they receive proper and timely surgical attention, researchers in Israel reported.
Fani Segev, MD, of the University of Tel Aviv, and colleagues reviewed the long-term visual outcomes for 20 children aged 7 years and younger who suffered corneal lacerations caused by sharp objects. They published their findings in the April issue of Cornea.
Preoperatively, corneal wounds ranged from 1 mm to 10 mm, with eight eyes having wounds 6 mm or greater. Surgeons performed traumatic cataract extraction in six eyes and implanted an IOL in four of these cases. Twelve eyes underwent secondary procedures, including three eyes treated with YAG laser capsulotomy for secondary cataracts, according to the study.
Twelve children also required refractive correction with glasses or contact lenses, and 11 children received patching to prevent amblyopia, the authors reported.
At 58 months' mean follow-up, 14 eyes had a visual acuity of 20/40 or better, four eyes had a visual acuity of 20/50 to 20/100, and one eye had no light perception, according to the study.