DIAGNOSTIC ULTRASOUND AND PARS MANA VITRECTOMY IN PENETRATING OCULAR TRAUMA

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of diag nostic ultrasonography in the preoperative evaluation of eyes with med ia opacity after penetrating ocular trauma and correlate the preoperat ive findings with ultimate visual outcome. Methods: A retrospective co mparison was made between the preoperative ultrasound diagnoses and th e intraoperative findings in 46 eyes of 45 patients undergoing pars pl ana vitrectomy after penetrating ocular trauma associated with dense m edia opacities. The preoperative echographic findings were correlated with long-term visual and anatomic outcome. Results: Preoperative echo graphy was both sensitive and specific in evaluating traumatized eyes for retinal detachment, intraocular foreign bodies, posterior scleral wounds, and hemorrhagic choroidal detachments. The overall anatomic su ccess rate was 87% (40/46) with 48% (22/46) of eyes obtaining visual a cuity of 20/200 or better after surgery. The visual prognosis was wors e in those eyes in which preoperative echography detected retinal deta chment, subretinal blood, massive choroidals, or posterior exit wounds . Conclusion: Diagnostic echography is accurate and provides useful pr ognostic information in eyes with media opacity after penetrating ocul ar trauma.