Stress on the eyeball caused by mechanical vibration. Studies of patient transport and experimental models

Abstract

The acceleration forces which occur in the eye and in the head region in transport of patients were investigated. It was to be established whether the finding often deteriorates appreciably in perforating eye injuries between the accident site and the ophthalmological operating theater. The investigation showed that smaller acceleration forces become active in the eye in the sitting position than in the lying position in patient transport. In transport in the hospital area, e.g., in the patient lift and on a stretcher, the maximum acceleration amplitudes which occur are greater than those occurring in the ambulance.--In the second part of the study, the region of the eyeball most sensitive to oscillation was determined experimentally in cadaver eyes in order to permit an evaluation of the acceleration parameters relevant in patient transport. It was shown that the eye is largely insensitive to the accelerations occurring in patient transport. It was shown that the eye is largely insensitive to the accelerations occurring in patient transport. Furthermore, it was shown that a vitreous prolapse cannot occur for this reason in an experimentally induced sclera injury.--Therefore, deteriorations in the condition of the bulb occurring in patient transport are due to movements of the eyelid and eyeball.