Visual Outcome of Corneal Laceration Repair in a Tertiary Hospital, Southwestern, Nigeria

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed at assessing the visual outcome of patients that had corneal laceration repair with their influencing factors in order to reduce the significant consequential vision loss in the patients. Design: A cross sectional study. Subjects: All patients who had open globe injury and corneal repair procedures. Methods: Clinic and theatre records of all patients who had open globe injury and corneal repair procedures between January 2015 and July 2017 were retrieved. Demographic characteristics, main eye complaints, duration of symptoms, laterality, presenting visual acuity, corneal repair procedures and six weeks post operative visual acuity were obtained from the records. All patients who had open globe injury but had primary Enucleation or Evisceration were excluded from the study. Data obtained were recorded and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Results: Forty patients had corneal repair procedure constituting 22.2% of all ophthalmic procedures. There were 30 (75.0%) males and 10(25.0%) females. At the oculoplastic clinic, majority of the patients 33 (82.5%) presented with monocular blindness (VA<3/60) while, only the dependent group of patients 5 (12.5%) presented with normal visual acuity ≥6/18. There was 10% improvement in vision after corneal repair procedure. There was positive correlation between pre-operative visual acuity and post-operative visual acuity. Conclusion: Corneal laceration injury has a relatively high incidence with a 10% improvement in vision after corneal repair procedure. Timely presentation, prompt clinical assessment and early intervention when non-avoidable ocular injury occurs remain the key to a good functional post-operative vision.