Paintball injury can cause severe or permanent vision loss

There are an estimated 10 million participants in paintball sport all across the United States. While paintball has become widely popular, paintball-related eye injuries have also become well-documented.

In a study published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology of 36 patients treated at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute for paintball injuries to the eye, the injuries were often severe. Eighty one percent of patients needed surgery – including enucleation (removal of the eye). The rest had a rupture of the eyeball or detached retina (light-sensitive tissue lining the inner surface of the eye). Although normal vision was restored in 36% of eyes, the majority had permanent visual loss.

The paintball injuries, however, did not occur in a formal or recreational event and in all but one of the cases, the patient did not wear any protective eyewear. Still, in an earlier similar study, injury occurred both in formal and informal games.

Lead author Dr. Kyle J. Alliman of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, said, Eye injuries secondary to high-velocity paintballs can cause tremendous damage to vital ocular structures often requiring extensive surgical intervention. Unfortunately, visual loss is often permanent.”

The study concluded that use of protective eyewear could have prevented over 97 percent of the injuries.

Mask or goggles that completely cover the face, which may include throat guards, are to be worn at all times on the field as protective device. There had been previous analyses reporting eye injuries where masks were improperly used, removed or not enforced.

Cost-effective drug therapy for the leading cause of childhood blindness

Retinopathy of prematurity is the leading cause of childhood blindness worldwide. It occurs primarily in infants of low birth weight as in the case of premature delivery. This retinal disorder causes loss of vision due to disorganized growth of the blood vessels of the retina. The retina is a membrane that lines the back of the eye which receives the images formed by the lens.

An immature retina of babies born before 7.5 months of gestation forms dilated veins and tortuous arteries leading to scarring and hardening, which eventually cause the retina to detach.
In a multicenter clinical trial led by the University of Texas and participated in by 14 other hospitals, the use of intravitreal bevacizumab, a blood vessel growth inhibitor drug, is being compared with conventional laser treatment. Infants at 30 weeks of gestation or less were examined (low birth weight at 1500g or less).

Infants with acute retinopathy, which is the most difficult to treat (zone I and posterior zone II) and has a high incidence of treatment failure, received either the drug treatment or laser therapy.
Outcomes of the 143 studied infants, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, revealed that retinopathy recurred in 6 percent of patients who were treated with intravitreal bevacizumab and in 42 percent of those who received laser treatment.

The researchers saw mild structural abnormality in just one eye of 31 infants who received the drug, whereas they found mild structural defect in 16 eyes and severe damage in 2 eyes (retinal detachment) of 33 infants who had undergone laser treatment.

Lead author Dr. Helen A. Mintz-Hittner, an attending physician at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital said that, compared with the conventional laser treatment, the drug therapy has a reduced rate of recurrence and does the best job of preserving vision. It is also inexpensive and there’s no more need to intubate the baby. The procedure is quick, results are also seen within hours and recovery is faster.

The authors stressed, though, that timing is critical and that drug therapy at stage 3+ of the disease (dilated veins and tortuous arteries) is the ideal for treatment. They also emphasized the importance of careful follow-up for any recurrence for at least 16 weeks following the injection.

Handheld laser pointer can cause eye injury and blindness

Laser pointers often used in classrooms and lecture halls can cause severe eye damage and consequent vision loss.

In an article published in The New England Journal of Medicine, submitted by a group of doctors from Lucerne Cantonal Hospital in Switzerland, a 15-year-old boy who played with a high-power laser pointer purchased over the Internet sustained retinal injury in both eyes (retina is a membrane lining at the back of the eye that detects light and images). He experienced immediate blurred vision when the laser beam hit his eyes several times after playing with the laser in front of a mirror. On examination, hemorrhage and swelling in the retina of his left eye caused by a laser burn were seen. Several tiny scars were also found in his right eye.

The FDA set the standard for certain types of laser, such as bar code scanners and laser pointers, at 5 milliwatts (mW). In the above case, the teenager used a laser pointer with green light powered at 150 mW.

Laser pointers with maximal output of 5 mW (Class IIIa) are classified as harmless because their intensity can be shielded by the protective human eye blink reflex; although staring directly into the 5 mW beam for a prolonged period will cause eye injury.

Manufacturers of laser products that are powered above 5 mW are required to obtain FDA permission before they sell to the pub¬lic. The FDA is concerned about the growing availability in stores and on the Internet of laser products sold illegally above 5 mW. In fact, according to the FDA consumer health information, there are laser toys or other laser prod¬ucts that are powered above 5 mW after the batteries that come with them are replaced with fresh bat¬teries.

The authors in this case also observed that laser devices advertised as “laser pointers” with a power up to 700 mW, and that look identical to low-power pointers, are easily obtainable through the Internet, despite government restrictions. Websites are now also selling laser swords and other high-powered laser gadgets.

An earlier study in 2007 published in Pediatric Emergency Care recommended that significant direct eye exposure to a laser, persistent afterimages and decreased visual acuity should initiate urgent referral to an ophthalmologist.

The FDA advised consumers to look for the label stating compliance with federal regulations, the manufacturer’s or distributor’s name and the date of manufacture, a warning to avoid exposure and a class designation up to Class IIIa.

What Are the Common Causes of Poor Eyesight?

Not all of us are born with bad eyesight. In fact, most of us are very fortunate to have good vision. However, we tend to neglect our eyes, which can cause impaired vision. We just take these things for granted. But when vision becomes blurry and fuzzy, we question why. We forget that it was our by own doing that we have impaired vision.

One of the common causes of diminished eyesight is putting too much stress on the eyes. Most of us work in front of the computer every day. Continuously staring at the computer monitor can strain the eyes. Take a short break once in a while to allow your eyes to relax.

The UV rays of the sun can be harmful to our eyes. When going out, wear sunglasses with polarized lenses since this helps deflect the harmful sun rays. Also, inadequate sleep causes poor eyesight. Make sure to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep every night.

Avoid using eye care products. Consult your doctor first before using on any eye medication. Also, for contact lenses, try to remove them every night before going to bed. Never use them continuously for 12 hours. An unhealthy lifestyle also contributes to the deterioration of your eyes. Eat sensibly and maintain a good exercise regimen.

If eyesight problems exist, visit your doctor and have them checked out immediately.