A survey of incidental ocular trauma by pencil and pen.

AIM: To determine characteristic features of ocular trauma resulted from self-trauma by writing instruments among pediatric population.

METHODS: Thirty-six children who suffered from self-inflicted ocular trauma with a writing instrument were included in this prospective cross-sectional study.

RESULTS: The mean age was 5.6±2.7y with male: female ratio of 1.77. The right eye was involved two times more than the left eye. The superomedial (55.5%) and inferomedial (30.6%) quadrants were the most common sites of injury. The leading culprit was colored pencils (44.4%). During surgical exploration, no foreign body (FB) was found in 25 (69.4%) patients while an FB was found in 11 (30.5%) patients. Brain injury was present in two patients (5.6%) and only in superomedial quadrant injuries. Zone 1 was the most common site for ocular trauma associated with penetrating injury. The mean ocular trauma score (OTS) in penetrating injuries was 3.8±1.2. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.3±0.6 upon admittance and 0.08±0.21 after one year. The final BCVA was significantly correlated with the entrance site, better final BCVA was found in nasal entrance site ( P <0.05).

CONCLUSION: The ophthalmologists should keep a high index of suspicion to rule out penetrating eye injuries related to writing instruments in a young uncooperative child. Brain injury is a life-threatening event that should be ruled out by appropriate imaging. Medial canthal area as the most common site needs an especial attention in writing instrument injuries.