Limitation of computed tomography scan in ocular trauma in diagnosing posterior globe rupture and retinal detachment

Abstract

Ocular trauma with penetrating eye injury or globe rupture is an ophthalmic emergency. Immediate but gentle ocular assessment is mandatory to diagnose the extent of the injury. Imaging modalities are valuable in aiding diagnosis and management in open globe injury due to the difficulty of full eye assessment in the presence of multiple head and facial injuries. This report presents a case of an elderly man with ocular trauma of the left only seeing eye where computed tomography scan showed anterior globe rupture and the possibility of posterior globe rupture due to discontinuity of the posterior sclera. Primary repair and exploration of the left eye revealed no posterior globe rupture. Post-operative B-scan revealed a total retinal detachment with intact posterior globe. Vision of the left eye after pars planar vitrectomy and tamponade of the retina detachment with heavy silicone oil improved to 1/60. Computed tomography scan in ocular trauma has limitations especially in diagnosing retinal detachment and posterior globe rupture.