Purpose: To assess ocular injuries caused by cow horns; to investigate clinical findings, treatment, and visual outcome in a population of dairy farmers; and to propose possible preventive measures.
Methods: A retrospective review was conducted to identify patients seen over a 45-month period with cow horn-inflicted eye injuries. Eleven patients were identified and their charts reviewed for demographics, mechanism of injury, initial and final visual acuity, surgeries performed, and anatomic outcome.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 64 years. Seven patients had open-globe injuries with vitreous hemorrhage. In five cases, pars plana vitrectomy was performed. Final best-corrected visual acuity was < or = hand motion in five patients, between 20/160 and 20/80 in three patients, and better than 20/32 in three patients.
Conclusion: The majority of the cow horn injuries studied caused severe permanent impairment of vision. Owing to the blunt nature of the horns, a significant amount of energy is imparted into the eye. To prevent these injuries, coagulation of the horns should be performed 2 weeks after a calf's birth or farmers should be advised to wear safety glasses.