Risk Factors and Outcome of Hyphema in Blunt Injury to Eye

Abstract

Objectives: To study the causes, associated ocular findings and visual acuity on presentation, complications and visual outcomefollowing treatment in patients of hyphema due to blunt injury.Methods: A retrospective observational study was performed in 80 patients with hyphema due to blunt injury presenting tothe outpatient and emergency department of the tertiary care centre of Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh for a period of 6 months. Thegender, age, race, cause of blunt injury resulting in hyphema, eye involved, vision at admission, other associated ophthalmologicalfindings, complications and visual outcomes were noted from the case records of patients. The data was analyzed using SPSSprogramme using the chi-square test.Results: Males were more predominantly affected (88.75%). Half of the patients were aged below 30 years. Sports-related injury(51.25%) was the most common cause for hyphema. Hyphema disappeared within 5 days in 68.5% of patients. Iris injuries werevery commonly associated in the form of mydriasis, iridodialysis. The best corrected vision of 6/18 or better was noted in 46.25%of patients at the last follow-up. The follow-up of these subjects was very poor and thus the incidence of secondary glaucomacould not be established. A significant association was seen between Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at presentation andat 6 weeks follow-up (p<0.05).Conclusion: Sports-related injury is the most common cause of hyphema. Good visual recovery, without serious complications,is possible with appropriate and in-time treatment in hyphema patients due to blunt injury.