Self-inflicted eye injuries

Abstract

Self-inflicted enucleation, also known as Auto-Enucleation (AE) or Oedipism, is an uncommon and severe form of ocular injury which presents as an ophthalmic and psychiatric emergency. Usually known to occur with untreated psychosis, our recent case report demonstrated AE as a result of a subsequently diagnosed drug induced psychosis. We reported the clinical presentation, management and for the first time a detailed speculative account about the mechanism of AE, based on our clinicopathologic findings. Below we summarise the important aspects of the case as well as reflect on the psychodynamic theories that exist to explain it.