SELF-INFLICTED OCULAR INJURIES - DIFFEREN TIAL-DIAGNOSIS OF A SELF-INFLICTED CORNEAL LANCINATING INJURY

Background Recognising self-inflicted injuries is the prerequisite to initiate specific, psychiatric, therapy of the often underlying psychi atric disorders. The differential diagnosis of Oedipism, self-inflicte d ocular injury, includes Munchhausen's-syndrome, neuroses and schizop hrenic psychoses. Patient We present a patient in whom a self-inflicte d corneal lancinating injury was the first sign of an acute relapse of his previously known paranoid-halluzinating schizophrenia, requiring immediate treatment. Conclusion In patients with unexplained ocular di sease self-inflicted ocular injury needs to be taken into consideratio n as the treatment of such patients requires close cooperation of Opht halmologists and Psychiatrists.