OCULAR FINDINGS IN ASYMPTOMATIC AMATEUR BOXERS

A group of 25 active, asymptomatic, amateur boxers were examined to ev aluate the nature and incidence of ocular pathologic conditions in ama teur boxing. An approximately age-matched group of 25 men who were not boxers was used as a control group. The number of fights varied from 1 to 220 (mean 39.4), and the number of spar rounds from 20 to 600 (me an 192.5). Visual acuity was 20/20 in all subjects of both groups, exc ept for one boxer with keratoconus. Intraocular pressure was below 20 mmHg in all eyes. In 19 (76%) boxers, pathologic anatomic findings wer e attributed to contusion trauma. Lesions of the anterior eye segment included injuries of the lid in 3 eyes (12%), angle abnormalities in 5 (20%), and slight lens opacities in 5 (20%). Posterior vitreous detac hment was observed in 3 (12%) boxers and peripheral retinal scars were seen in 15 (60%). In 6 (24%) eyes, retinal tears or atrophic holes we re detected. In the 7 (28%) boxers with lesions of the anterior eye se gment, the posterior segment was also affected in 6 (85%). In the cont rol group, an atrophic hole was found in one (4%) patient with no othe r ocular pathologic findings. It is strongly recommended that the foll owing conditions be implemented in amateur boxing: (1) the use of head gear and thumbless boxing gloves even for short spars; (2) the use of thumbless gloves instead of thumb-attached gloves; (3) the use of the sparring head gear for bouts; and (4) dilated retinal examination bef ore beginning amateur career and periodic ophthalmologic examinations, including a dilated vitreoretinal examination, as a mandatory part of the license examination.