Corneal Edema, Hyphema, and Angle Recession After Air Bag Inflation

Abstract

Several recent reports have documented severe ocular trauma after air-bag inflation during motor vehicle accidents.1,2Scott et al2reported a case in which a patient sustained periorbital fractures, retinal tears, and lens subluxation during a single vehicle accident in which the driver's-side air bag inflated. We describe herein a patient who developed localized corneal edema, hyphema, and angle recession following trauma after air bag inflation during a motor vehicle accident. Report of a Case. A 51-year-old man, wearing a three-point lap-shoulder seat belt and driving a late-model Mazda RX7 was involved in a two-car frontal collision in which both vehicles' driver's-side air bags inflated. The approximate speed of the vehicles was 15 to 20 mph. The other driver, who was also restrained with a three-point lap-shoulder seat belt, was unhurt. The make and model of her vehicle were not known. Our patient sustained abrasions to the right side