Facial Fractures – Association with Ocular Injuries: A 13-Year Review of One Practice in a Tertiary Care Centre

Abstract

Background The incidence of ocular injury associated with facial fractures has been reported to be between 0.8% and 30%. Objective Because of this wide range of incidences, a system to stratify the risk of ocular injury by type of facial fracture was sought. Methods The present study reviewed 266 patients with facial fractures to determine the risk factors for ocular injury. The anatomy of each facial fracture was classified using an orbit-centred approach according to the number of orbital walls fractured. Patients were then grouped using this classification system. Charts documenting follow-up for each patient over a minimum of one year were examined and initial emergency room presentations of patients with subsequent visual impairment were recorded. Results The incidence of severe visual impairment and blindness was 4.5% overall. Although all facial fractures (including isolated fractures of the mandible) had a notable incidence of ocular injury, an increased number of orbital wall fractures were correlated with an increased incidence of permanent visual disability. One of 147 (0.68%) patients without an orbital wall fracture sustained permanent severe ocular injury or blindness, while 13.5% (five of 37) of three-wall orbital fracture patients and 25% (four of 16) of four-wall orbital fracture patients sustained the same injury. Conclusions The risk of ocular injury in complex facial fractures can be stratified by the degree of orbital wall involvement. However, because all patients with persistent visual impairment had ocular findings on initial examination, it is proposed that oculovisual testing is a more sensitive indicator of lasting ocular injuries than the type of facial fracture.