Authors : Nishtha Yadav, Renu Dhasmana, Neeti Gupta, Ranjit Kumar
DOI : 10.18231/j.ijooo.2019.019
Volume : 5
Issue : 2
Year : 2019
Page No : 73-75
Introduction: Head injury accounts for approximately 3.4% of all emergency presentations. The role of ocular injuries secondary to head trauma in the causation of blindness continues to be an immense public health problem. This study is aimed to estimate the incidence of traumatic optic neuropathy, to obtain demographic data and to document concurrent injuries in cases of head injury.
Materials and Methods: A total of 510 patients presenting with head injury were examined for all the ocular injuries. Severity of head injury which was graded according to Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). Computed tomography (CT) scan of head was done in all the patients. Visually evoked potential (VEP) was done in patients who had relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD) and defective color vision. Diagnosis of traumatic optic neuropathy was confirmed on the basis of VEP.
Results: Majority of the people affected were males (77.5%). Patients between 16-45 years were affected most. The most frequent site of injury was roadside (72.55%). Ophthalmic involvement was observed in 313 individuals (61.4%). Abnormal uni-ocular color vision was found in 21(4.11%) patients. RAPD was found in 24 (4.70%) patients. VEP was abnormal in 10 (1.96%) patients, of all the cases of head injury.
Conclusion: There was a 1.96% incidence of traumatic optic neuropathy in patients of head injury. Among all the ocular findings, eyelid ecchymosis with edema was most common. Intracranial hemorrhage was the most common CT scan finding in head injury patients. Chances of ophthalmic manifestations are much more when there is intracranial bleeding and facial fractures.
Keywords: Traumatic optic neuropathy, Head injury.