Corneoscleral laceration caused by air-bag trauma

PURPOSE: To report a case of a corneoscleral laceration sustained as a direct result of inflation of a driver side air bag. METHODS: A patient who sustained a severe ocular injury in a low-speed motor vehicle accident underwent clinical and radiologic examination and subsequent treatment. RESULTS: The left eye underwent primary repair of a complex corneoscleral laceration. Two weeks postoperatively, visual acuity in the left eye remained at bare hand motion. CONCLUSION: Although air-bag-related eye trauma may be relatively infrequent, the severity of the injuries incurred warrant, research efforts to explore new air-bag designs that minimize the risk of ocular injury.