AIRBAG-INDUCED EYE INJURIES

We report two cases of ocular injuries caused by airbag inflation. The se cases illustrate two main types of airbag-induced eye injuries: che mical and taumatic. In the first case, chemical keratitis was caused b y the aerosol spray of alkaline particles produced by the airbag deplo yment system. In the second case, the high-speed deployment system cau sed mechanical injury to the anterior and posterior segments demonstra ting the effect of the sudden deceleration when the individual hits th e airbag. These two cases as well as others reported in the literature suggest that ocular injury should always be suspected because of the inherent traumatic effect of the airbag protection system.