Article
Characteristics of eye injuries resulting from military operations on the territory of Ukraine
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Published: | June 3, 2022 |
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The paper provides data on 77 patients with combat eye trauma resulting from military operations on the territory of Ukraine in February-March 2022. Of these, 84.4% were military personnel, and 15.6% were civilians, including 3 children.
Mine blast injuries were the most common, accounting for 84.6% among military and 91.6% among civilians. In 13.9% of the military took place firearm wounds and massive cumulative destruction of the eyes. In civilians, eye injuries were most often caused not by missiles, but by fragments of glass and plastic.
Penetrating eye injuries took place in 55.8% of the victims. Non-penetrating lesions, crush injuries of the eyeball, blunt eye trauma, thermal burns, and orbital trauma also occurred. Endophthalmitis was present in 3 persons (3.9%) that exceed the average frequency of post-traumatic endophthalmitis. In our patients endophthalmitis was caused by the penetrating of eye with peaces of glass contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms, as well as the impossibility of timely evacuation and special treatment due to a severe general condition of the patient.
Severe injuries were in 29.9% cases, moderate – in 62.3%, mild – in 7.8%. Bilateral injuries took place in 36.4% patients, in all cases after mine blast lesions.
Taking into account the nature of combat eye injuries, the prevalence of severe trauma, poor prognosis for vision, and the extreme importance of visual functions the authors consider it necessary to provide ballistic protective eyewear to both military personnel and civilians living in the territories of combat operations in Ukraine..