Paediatric Eye Trauma with Foreign Bodies in Ukraine

Abstract

Background: Traumatic eye injuries remain a significant cause of vision loss in children. The presence of ocular foreign bodies (FB) significantly aggravates the clinical picture and consequences of eye trauma. Material and methods: Consecutive medical records of 53 children and adolescents (55 eyes) with FB injuries, who presented to the Paediatric Ophthalmopathology Department in the Filatov Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy between 2020 and 2025, were reviewed retrospectively. The study patients were divided into 2 groups: a corneal foreign body group (CFB Group), comprising 28 patients with corneal foreign bodies (CFBs); and an intraocular foreign body (IOFB) group, comprising 25 patients with IOFBs. Results: The investigation showed an increase in ocular trauma caused by small FBs in younger children (first years of life), entering various corneal layers, mainly the middle layer (50.0%), which were immediately removed under general anaesthesia. The analysis of IOFBs in children showed an increased number of non-metallic FBs (59.2%) located predominantly in the anterior eye segment (63%). The cornea and lens were affected most commonly (88.5% each), and the iris was quite often affected (55.5%). Given the localisation, IOFB removal in paediatric practice was performed predominantly using the anterior approach (66.7% of cases) and also through the wound channel during primary surgical care (22.2% of cases). The transvitreal approach was relatively rare (11.1%) when IOFB was localised in the posterior segment. Simultaneous and early reconstructive interventions were performed. Conclusions: Complex reconstructive surgeries (traumatic cataract phacoaspiration with IOL implantation, iridoplasty, pars plana vitrectomy) performed simultaneously with IOFB removal or immediately after primary care allowed not only preservation of the eye globe, but also restoration of visual acuity in 96.3% of children, among them high vision (0.3–1.0) in 14.0%.