Clinical Study of Traumatic Hyphema

ABSTRACT

We reviewed 114 patients who were admitted and treated at the Chonju Presbyterian Medical Center between 1986 and 1990 for nonperforating traumatic hyphema. Of these 114 cases, 103 (90.4%) were male and 11 (9.6%) were female. Mostly, they were under 20 years of age. Grade I hyphema (bleeding less than one third of anterior chamber) was 72 cases (63.2%). The causes of injuries were blows to the eye (56 cases, 49%) and projectile objects (45 cases, 39.5%). Associated injuries to the eye and periocualr structures occurred in 78 patients (68.4%), which were angle recession (23.7%), eyelid laceration (20.2%), increased intraocular pressure (16.7%), traumatic cataract (14.0%). Secondary hemorrhage occurred in 15 patients (13.2%) and was significantly more frequent among patients whose initial hyphema filled more than one therd of the anterior chamber. The final visual acuity were worse in eye with associated ocular injuries such as vitreo-retinal disorders, traumatic cataracts, etc.