Unexpected Finding in Ocular Surface Trauma: A Large Intraorbital Foreign Body (Bullet)

Detorakis, Efstathios T.; Symvoulakis, Emmanouil K.; Drakonaki, Eleni; Halkia, Ekaterini; Tsilimbaris, Miltiadis K.

doi:10.14712/18059694.2015.64

Acta Medica > Archive > 2012, Vol. 55 > Issue 2 > Unexpected Finding in Ocular Surface…

Acta Med. 2012, 55: 100-103

https://doi.org/10.14712/18059694.2015.64

Unexpected Finding in Ocular Surface Trauma: A Large Intraorbital Foreign Body (Bullet)

Efstathios T. Detorakis^a, Emmanouil K. Symvoulakis^b, Eleni Drakonaki^c, Ekaterini Halkia^a, Miltiadis K. Tsilimbaris^a

^aUniversity General Hospital of Heraklion, Greece: Department of Ophthalmology
^bUniversity General Hospital of Heraklion, Greece: Blood Donation Department
^cUniversity General Hospital of Heraklion, Greece: Department of Radiology

Received November 18, 2011
Accepted May 31, 2012

Sometimes intraorbital foreign bodies lead to unexpected findings. A 16-year old boy was referred due to ocular surface trauma. A conjunctival laceration was detected at the level of the left caruncle with associated left exotropia, reduced adduction as well as a preretinal hemorrhage along the nasal periphery of the fundus. A blow-out fracture of the medial orbital wall was suspected and a CT scan of the orbits was scheduled which revealed the presence of a large intraorbital foreign body. The removal of the intraorbital foreign body (which proved to be a bullet) and precautionary laser photocoagulation along the nasal periphery of the left eye were performed. Ocular surface trauma may reveal unexpected findings, such as an intraorbital foreign body, requiring investigation by a CT scan.