Intraocular Foreign Body
- Fragment that has entered eye
- May lodge in anterior chamber, iris, lens, vitreous, or retina
- Usually metal bit released during drilling/hammering or shot from gun
- Surgical removal should be prompt to avoid impaired vision from inflammation, hemorrhage, or scarring
- Sudden eye pain or blurred vision
- History of drilling or hammering or exposure to guns
- Entry wound often small or covered by hemorrhage and swollen tissue
- Foreign body may not be visible except with special instruments
- Crystalline lens will quickly opacify (turn milky white) if foreign body strikes it
- Vitreous bleeding will quickly eliminate red reflex in pupil
- Concussive trauma to eye, BUT...only ophthalmologist can tell difference (with special instruments)
- Most intraocular foreign bodies must be surgically removed unless surgery will cause harm
- Visual outcome depends on amount of damage caused by foreign body and surgery to remove it
