Intraocular eyelashes and iris cyst in anterior chamber following penetrating eye injury: a case report

Post-Traumatic Cilia Remaining Inert in the Posterior Chamber for 50 Years

Intraocular foreign body injuries (IOFB) can lead to a number of intraocular pathologies; the visual results depend on the mechanism of the injury, the type of foreign body and the subsequent complications. The presence of intraocular cilia (eye lashes) following penetrating injury or surgical intervention is uncommon. In the present paper, we present a case of a 58-year-old woman with a history of eye trauma and a perforated corneal wound in the left eye that occurred 50 years ago. On the ophthalmological exam we noticed in the anterior chamber a straight linear extension, resembling cilia, extending behind the iris. The patient reports that it appeared during COVID-19 infection, after repeated episodes of coughing. After a follow-up period, we decided to remove the eyelash; 24 h after surgery, the patient complained of severe eye pain. Intraocular pressure (IOP) in LE was 54 mmHg. The slit-lamp examination showed perikeratic congestion, corneal edema and mydriasis. Eye hypotensive treatment was started immediately and the patient's general condition slightly improved. Intraocular cilia can be tolerated for many years without causing any ocular reaction. The decision for surgical intervention must be taken according to the individual needs of the patient and his ocular characteristics with careful pre- and post-operative follow up.

Value of Ocular Endoscopy in Extraction of Intraocular Foreign Bodies of Cilia in Patients with Open Ocular Trauma

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to analyze the value of ocular endoscopy in detecting and extracting intraocular cilia in patients with ocular trauma. MATERIAL AND METHODS We retrospectively analyzed data on identification and extraction of 46 intraocular cilia in 16 eyes with open-globe injury during endoscope-assisted vitrectomy. RESULTS A total of the 16 patients with open-globe injury were operated on from September 2002 to June 2019. The cornea in 14 eyes was cloudy. Two eyes had endophthalmitis and 13 eyes had retinal detachment. A total of 46 cilia were extracted through direct observation under the ocular endoscope during vitrectomy 1 to 68 weeks after injury. The number of cilia per eye varied from 1 to 10. Most of the cilia were located in or near the wound. Postoperative IOP was normal in 14 patients. The follow-up after surgery showed hypotony in only 2 eyes (7.2 and 5.8 mmHg, respectively). Compared with preoperative intraocular pressure, there was a statistically significant difference. The postoperative visual acuity improved in 12 eyes and remained unchanged in 3 eyes. The vision after surgery was significantly improved compared with that before surgery (P=0.006). The intraocular pressure increased significantly after operation (P<0.001). And no glaucoma or retinal detachment or endophthalmitis was found. No eyes needed additional vitreous surgery. CONCLUSIONS Ocular endoscopy allows surgeons to detect intraocular cilia that were no undetected by CT or B-ultrasound preoperatively in time and to extract them effectively. It improves performance of vitrectomy in the presence of a cloudy cornea and also prevents exogenous endophthalmitis. The vision of patients with ocular trauma was improved.