Medical education Snapshot
Emergency medicine Ophthalmology
Volume 210 - Issue 4

Traumatic eye injury from an exploding aerosol can

Authors:  Varun Chandra, Lei Liu and Jonathan B Ruddle

Med J Aust 2019; 210 (4): 154. || doi: 10.5694/mja2.50009
Published online: 4 March 2019

A 12-year-old boy was at a family gathering when he threw a deodorant can on a barbecue with exposed flames

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A 12‐year‐old boy was at a family gathering when he threw a deodorant can on a barbecue with exposed flames. The can exploded, hitting his right eye. At presentation, his right vision was light perception only, with no evidence of significant head injury. Examination revealed hyphaema, a 140 degree superior iridodialysis and temporally subluxated lens (Figure, A and B). Three months later, he underwent iridoplasty, lensectomy and insertion of intraocular lens (Figure, C and D). Three months after the operation, right vision had improved to 6/6 and remained stable at last follow‐up (7 months). He will require lifelong follow‐up for traumatic glaucoma.

This case highlights the risk of significant ocular trauma occurring from pressurised containers exposed to flames.

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Authors

  • Varun Chandra1
  • Lei Liu1
  • Jonathan B Ruddle1,2
  • 1. Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, VIC
  • 2. Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC

Correspondence: Varun.Chandra@hotmail.com

Competing interests

No relevant disclosures.

Acknowledgements

We thank Richard Smallwood (medical photographer) for contributing the photos used in this report.

View this article on Wiley Online Library

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