Lightning Injury to Eye: Brief Review of the Literature and Case Series

Neurotrophic keratitis caused by lightning injury: a case report

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to report a case of neurotrophic keratitis caused by lightning.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 38-year-old man was hit by lightning and suffered eye injury. He eventually developed neurotrophic keratitis.

RESULTS

The patient's injury history and burn site were analyzed, and it was judged that lightning directly damaged his cornea, eventually resulting in neurotrophic keratitis. Fortunately, the patient's vision improved after treatment.

CONCLUSION

Lightning can cause eye damage, and the clinical manifestations are diverse. Lightning currents cause corneal nerve loss, resulting in neurotrophic keratitis. To maintain corneal integrity and prevent disease progression, early assessment and appropriate treatment are necessary.

Evolution of Lightning Maculopathy: Presentation of Two Clinical Cases and Brief Review of the Literature

Lightning is a naturally occurring atmospheric phenomenon. Though uncommon, it is a potentially devastating and underreported natural calamity. Lightning accounts for the second leading cause of weather-related death in most parts of the world. Among the survivors of lightning injury, more than half of the victims may suffer from some form of ophthalmic injury. The lightning-associated ocular injury varies from a range of anterior segment to posterior segment pathologies. We report on two clinical cases of ocular injuries among the survivors of lightning injury. Anatomical involvement is seen at different levels with presentation as uveitis, pupillary abnormality, maculopathy, and later development of lenticular opacification. Optical coherence tomography (OCT), a noninvasive diagnostic tool, is particularly useful in the evaluation of lighting maculopathy as well as to monitor its progression through the course of time. Visual prognosis depends upon the structures of the eyes affected in the injury. The presence of irreversible retinal damage as well as optic nerve damage often result in poor visual outcome in the absence of significant anterior segment pathology. This report highlights the evolution of maculopathy through the course of time and signifies the importance of long-term follow-up postlightning injury.

Injuries and deaths from lightning

This paper reviews recent academic research into the pathology of trauma of lightning. Lightning may injure or kill in a variety of different ways. Aimed at the trainee, or practicing pathologist, this paper provides a clinicopathological approach.