Corneal laceration with total but isolated aniridia caused by a pecking injury

An unusual case of penetrating eye injury caused by a bird: A case report with review of the pertinent literature

Penetrating eye injuries caused by bird pecking are uncommon with less than 40 cases reported in the literature. In this article, we present a case of penetrating ocular injury caused by a bird along with pertinent literature review. An otherwise healthy 56-year old man presented to the emergency department complaining of right eye severe pain and decreased vision following trauma caused by a bittern bird. The patient was diagnosed with penetrating ocular injury & he underwent primary repair. On follow up, he was found to have traumatic cataract, which was operated, however, the surgery was complicated with IOL dislocation into the vitreous cavity. The patient was referred to retina service where he underwent pars plana vitrectomy with IOL repositioning in the sulcus. After two months, the patient’s uncorrected visual acuity improved from counting fingers at 2 feet to 20/30⁻². This case serves as a reminder that bird pecking is one of the causes of penetrating eye trauma.

BIRD ATTACK OCULAR INJURIES

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

To report 30 patients with bird attack-related eye injuries.

METHODS

This study was performed among patients coming to Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran, Iran, from 2010 to 2015 with a history of bird attack causing eye injury. The inclusion criteria were a history of bird attack by pecking causing eye injury and having treatment and follow-up record for at least 6 months after treatment. The primary eye examinations included a full ophthalmic examination including evaluation of uncorrected visual acuity and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), anterior segment slit lamp biomicroscopy, and photography. For all patients with penetrating injury, primary repair was undertaken.

RESULTS

Thirty patients (10 females and 20 males) with a mean age of 23.3 ± 18.5 years entered the study. The most common zone of injury was zone 1 (P < 0.001), and lensectomy was not needed in majority of patients (P < 0.001). The most common bird causing the injury was mynah (P < 0.001). Those patients with baseline BCVA of less than 20/200 or those with endophthalmitis had statistically worse final BCVA after treatment. Patients attacked by mynah bird had significantly better pretreatment uncorrected visual acuity and BCVA.

CONCLUSION

The most common bird causing the eye injury among the sample of patients from Iran was mynah, which differs with previous studies indicating the rooster attack as the most common cause of eye injury. The authors also found that the most common zone of injury was zone 1, and the presence of endophthalmitis and lower baseline BCVA were significant risk factors for worse visual outcomes.

Favorable outcome using a black diaphragm intraocular lens for traumatic aniridia with total iridectomy

A 25-year-old man had a penetrating injury to the left eye. Ocular examination revealed a full-thickness corneal laceration, total aniridia, anterior capsule rupture, and microscopic hyphema. Ten days after the immediate primary-repair surgery, aspiration of the lens secondary to traumatic cataract was performed. Four months later, a black diaphragm intraocular lens was implanted. Postoperatively, the best corrected visual acuity was 20/20 in both eyes. Multifocal spectacles were prescribed to provide the near and far vision required for the patient's job. Normal intraocular pressure and acceptable photophobia were noted during the 18-month follow-up.

Severe ocular and periocular injuries caused by an ostrich

An adult was attacked by an ostrich and suffered severe ocular and periocular injury, with permanent loss of vision. Fragments of ostrich beak were removed from the right periorbital laceration. Unprovoked severe bird injuries are rare. To the best of our knowledge, ocular injury caused by an ostrich has never been reported in the ophthalmic literature.