Visual outcomes after blunt ocular trauma.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prognosis and retinal location in patients presenting with acute traumatic maculopathy and extramacular retinal injuries. DESIGN: Retrospective, noninterventional case series. PARTICIPANTS AND CONTROLS: All patients presenting with commotio retinae or sclopetaria retinae to the Birmingham Midland Eye Centre Eye Casualty from October 1, 2007, to February 23, 2011. METHODS: The notes of all patients presenting with ocular trauma in the specified time period were examined to identify suitable patients and demographic and injury data were extracted. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcome was assessed by visual acuity (VA). RESULTS: For macular commotio retinae, 53 patients were identified, of whom 34 had adequate follow-up to determine final VA. The median presenting VA was 20/40; 25 patients (74%) recovered to ≥ 20/30. The median extent of visual recovery was 0.18 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR). For extramacular commotio retinae, 117 patients were identified, of whom 58 had adequate follow-up to determine final VA. The median presenting VA retinae was 20/30; 55 patients (95%) recovered to ≥ 20/30. The median extent of visual recovery was logMAR 0.076. There was 1 case of extramacular sclopetaria retinae. The 3 most common retinal locations of extramacular commotio retinae, in order of frequency, were inferotemporal (37%), temporal (17%), and superotemporal (17%); <5% of cases were in a nasal location. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report on the prognosis of acute traumatic maculopathy and extramacular commotio retinae. After macular injury, 26% of patients were left with a VA of ≤ 20/30, although the proportion with visual impairment is higher than this because (1) a deterioration from 20/15 to 20/30 is significant to many patients; and (2) additional patients are visually impaired by symptomatic paracentral visual field defects despite a normal VA. Reduced VA after extramacular commotio retinae may represent occult macular injury or previously undiagnosed visual impairment in the affected eye. Extramacular commotio occurs mostly in an inferotemporal to temporal location, consistent with direct trauma to the sclera overlying the injured retina. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any of the materials discussed in this article.

Neuroretinal cell death in a murine model of closed globe injury: pathological and functional characterization.

PURPOSE: Blunt ocular trauma causes severe retinal injury with death of neuroretinal tissue, scarring, and permanent visual loss. The mechanisms of cell death are not known, and there are no therapeutic interventions that improve visual outcome. We aimed to study the extent, distribution, and functional consequences of cell death by developing and characterizing a rat model of retinal injury caused by blunt ocular trauma. METHODS: The eyes of anesthetized adult rats were injured by either weight drop or low-velocity ballistic trauma and assessed by clinical examination, electroretinography, light microscopy, electron microscopy, and TUNEL. Projectile velocity was measured and standardized. RESULTS: Weight drop did not cause reproducible retinal injury, and the energy threshold for retinal injury was similar to that for rupture. Low-velocity ballistic trauma to the inferior sclera created a reproducible retinal injury, with central sclopetaria retinae, retinal necrosis, and surrounding commotio retinae with specific photoreceptor cell death and sparing of cells in the other retinal layers. The extent of photoreceptor cell death declined and necrosis progressed to apoptosis with increasing distance from the impact site. CONCLUSIONS: This is the only murine model of closed globe injury and the only model of retinal trauma with specific photoreceptor cell death. The clinical appearance mirrors that in severe retinal injury after blunt ocular trauma in humans, and the ultrastructural features are consistent with human and animal studies of commotio retinae. After ocular trauma, photoreceptor apoptosis may be prevented and visual outcomes improved by blocking of the cell death pathways.