Corneal Laceration

Updated: Mar 14, 2023
  • Author: Adedoyin Adesina, MD; Chief Editor: Barry E Brenner, MD, PhD, FACEP  more...
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Overview

Background

A corneal laceration is a partial- or full-thickness injury to the cornea that can occur from trauma to the eye. A partial-thickness injury does not violate the globe of the eye (abrasion). A full-thickness injury penetrates through all the layers of the cornea, resulting in ruptured globe. These lacerations vary in size, shape, and severity. This article will focus on full-thickness injury.

While history may point to the etiology of the laceration, sometimes the patient may not remember a discrete inciting event. Patients may not recall things such as small foreign bodies, digital trauma, or other subtle sources of damage. The physician must be meticulous in examining the cornea and periorbital structures if there is suspicion of a corneal laceration. Typically, patients who present with this type of injury experience intense pain, lacrimation, photophobia, and demonstrate conjunctival injection and visual disturbance. 

When evaluating eye trauma with evidence of corneal injury, it is important to assess for full-thickness laceration and the resulting ruptured globe. With a ruptured globe, aqueous humor escapes the anterior chamber, which can result in a flat-appearing cornea, air bubbles under the cornea, or an asymmetric pupil secondary to the iris protruding through the corneal defect.

 
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