Ocular and Adnexal Injuries in Patients with Midfacial Fracture

Background: Due to their anatomical location, orbits and globes are predisposed to injury incase of midfacial trauma. There may be minor to severe ocular and adnexal injuries. Early & appropriate referral and initial management are mandatory to save the vision in vision threatening injuries. Objectives: To learn about the common ocular and adnexal injuries in relation to midfacial fracture.Materials and Methods: The observational study of 50 patients having midfacial fractures with ocular and adnexal injuries, irrespective of age and sex, was undertaken from January 2012 to March 2013. Patients were categorized according to age, sex, cause of injury and fracture pattern. The injuries were categorized as minor, moderate and severe ocular and adnexal injuries depending on their severity. All patients underwent clinical examination and assessed by imaging tools like plain radiographs and CT scans and they were evaluated by an ophthalmologist. Results: Evaluation of the findings revealed male predominance (88%). (21–30) year age group was mostly affected (38%). Road Traffic accident (RTA) was the most common cause of injuries (74%). Fortunately, severe ocular injuries were not very common (12%) and minor injuries were mostly present (70%). 3 patients (6%) got blindness in their affected eye. Vision loss was more common in Le-Fort III type fracture (50%). Conclusion: Although there were fewer patients with Le-Fort III type fractures, the observational study revealed that they had more severe aftereffects.