Blindness after facial trauma

Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 1996 Jan;81(1):34-7. doi: 10.1016/s1079-2104(96)80144-2.

Abstract

Blindness after facial fractures has been reported to occur with an incidence that ranges between 0.67% and 3% depending on the reporting institution. To verify this finding we undertook a retrospective chart review of 5936 patients with facial fractures that occurred over a 12 1/2-year period. We found that vision in 19 eyes were lost in 18 patients. Vision loss was more frequently encountered in Le Fort III level fractures (2.2%) followed distantly by Le Fort II level fractures (0.64%), and zygomatic fractures (0.45%). The cause of blindness was most frequently associated with motor vehicle accidents and gunshot injuries. Injuries of this type require immediate and prompt consultation by the ophthalmologic surgery service.

MeSH terms

  • Accidents, Traffic / statistics & numerical data
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Blindness / epidemiology*
  • Blindness / etiology
  • Child
  • Eye Hemorrhage / complications
  • Eye Hemorrhage / epidemiology
  • Eye Injuries / complications
  • Eye Injuries / epidemiology
  • Facial Bones / injuries*
  • Female
  • Greece / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Maxillary Fractures / classification
  • Maxillary Fractures / complications
  • Maxillary Fractures / epidemiology
  • Middle Aged
  • Ophthalmology
  • Referral and Consultation
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Skull Fractures / complications
  • Skull Fractures / epidemiology*
  • Wounds, Gunshot / epidemiology
  • Zygomatic Fractures / complications
  • Zygomatic Fractures / epidemiology