Abstract
In two patients, after a perforating wound of the eye, a cilium was found in the vitreous. In the first patient one end of a cilium was stuck in the retina, the other end floated freely in the vitreous of the right eye. During a 5-year follow-up no inflammatory signs were observed. Visual acuity remained 1.0. In the second patient a large metal foreign body was removed from the vitreous of the left eye immediately after the injury. A week later, while parsplana vitrectomy was being performed for a vitreous haemorrhage caused by the trauma, an eyelash was discovered in the vitreous, but it could not be removed. During the follow-up period, which included the removal of a traumatic cataract, the eyelash caused no inflammatory reaction. A year later the visual acuity of the left eye was 1.0. In the literature 17 reports were found of cases with one or more eyelashes in the posterior segment of the eye. In 5 cases this was discovered on clinical examination. Once the eyelash was spontaneously extruded from the bulbus, once panophthalmia developed after the injury. In 3 cases the eye could be saved, twice with useful visual acuity, in spite of retention of the eyelash.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Byrnes VA (1949) Eyelash buried in clear lens substance. Amer J Ophthal 32:847–849
Cowen JP (1942 Cilia implantation in anterior chamber through traumatic corneal perforation. Amer J Ophthal 25:721–723
Cunier F (1841) Note sur les poils développés dans l'intérieur du globe oculaire. Ann Oculist 5:163–165
Deutschmann R (1890) Ueber Augenverletzungen und Antisepsis. Beiträge zur Augenheilk I:1–20. Cilie in Glaskörper. Beiträge zur Augenheilk 1:8
Duke-Elder S (1972) System of Ophthalmology, Volume 14, Part I, Mechanical Injuries. London, Kimpton, pp 553–561
Gradle HS (1923) A cilium in the anterior chamber for nineteen years. Amer J Ophthal 6:764
Von Graefe A (1864) Von Graefes Arch Ophthal 10:213
Henneberg (1926) Zilie in der Vorderkammer. Klin Mbl Augenheilk 77:849
Hughes RA (1924) A cilium through the iris without symptoms. Amer J Ophthal 7:702
Klien BA (1945) Chronic posttraumatic syndromes leading to enucleation. Amer J Ophthal 28:1193–1203
Kozart DM, Yanoff M and Katowitz JA (1974) Tolerated eyelash embedded in the retina. Arch Ophthal 91:235–236
Kraisky (1902) Ophthalmologische Beobachtungen. Ophth Klinik Nr. 20 (as cited by Wagenmann)
Lang (1907) Ueber Zilien im Auge nebst Mitteilung eines Falles von Spontanausstossung einer Zilie aus der vorderen Kammer und aus dem Glaskörper. Inaug. -Diss. Rostock (as cited by Wagenmann)
Lapersonne and Vassaux (1884) Des altérations pigmentaires de lar rétine consécutives a un traumatisme de l'oeil. Arch Ophtal (Paris) 4:86–101
Makrocki F (1883) Ein Fall von Conjunctivalcyste. Klin Mbl Augenheilk 21:466–475
Manz (1868) Cilié in der hinteren Augenkammer. Klin Mbl Augenheilk 6:178–182
O'Brien DS (1931) Cilium in the vitreous. Trans Amer Ophthal Soc 29:416
Quint (1901) Eine seltene Augen-Verletzung. Centralblatt für die praktische Augenheilkunde 25:289–292
Rubey F (1966) Wimpern in der Vorderkammer. Klin Mbl Augenheilk 149:371–373
Sattler H (1874) Zur Kenntniss der serösen Iriscysten. Klin Mbl Augenheilk 12:127–151
Savin LH (1936) Notes on an eyelash carried by a perforating injury into the posterior aqueous and removed eleven weeks later. Brit J Ophthal 20:609–612
Sharpe OA (1925) Cilia in the anterior chamber. Amer J Ophthal 8:301–306
Sitchevska O and Payne BF (1949) Cilia in the anterior chamber. Amer J Ophthal 32:982–986
Sitchevska O and Payne BF (1951) Pearl cysts of the iris. Amer J Ophthal 34:833–840
Treacher Collins (1893) Specimen showing the eyelashes carried with vitreous chamber by a woman with a knife. Brit Med J 2:947 (as cited by Wagenmann)
Wagenmann A (1921) Verletzungen des Auges. Handbuch der Gesamten Augenheilkunde, von A. Graefe und Th. Saemisch, Baud 29. Berlin, Springer, pp 1482–1510, 1558–1559
Warnecke (1908) Doppelte Durchbohrung des Augapfels mit einem Taschenmesser und Implantation einer Cilie und eines Epithelkeims in die Narbe der hinteren Augenwand. Zentralblatt für prakt. Augenheilk. 32:161–166
Webster D (1892) Loss of an eye from purulent iridocyclitis set up by a birdshot. Centralblatt für die praktische Augenheilkunde 16:383
Webster Fox (1928) Cilia in abnormal locations. Amer J Ophthal 11:297
Wintersteiner (1894) Beiträge zur pathologischen Anatomie der traumatischen Aniridie und Iridodialyse. Graefes Arch Ophthal 40:1
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fortuin, M.E.H.M., Blanksma, L.J. An unusual complication of perforating wounds of the eye. Doc Ophthalmol 61, 197–203 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00142342
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00142342