Eye injuries caused by cow horns.

PURPOSE: To assess ocular injuries caused by cow horns; to investigate clinical findings, treatment, and visual outcome in a population of dairy farmers; and to propose possible preventive measures.

METHODS

A retrospective review was conducted to identify patients seen over a 45-month period with cow horn-inflicted eye injuries. Eleven patients were identified and their charts reviewed for demographics, mechanism of injury, initial and final visual acuity, surgeries performed, and anatomic outcome.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 64 years. Seven patients had open-globe injuries with vitreous hemorrhage. In five cases, pars plana vitrectomy was performed. Final best-corrected visual acuity was < or = hand motion in five patients, between 20/160 and 20/80 in three patients, and better than 20/32 in three patients.

CONCLUSION

The majority of the cow horn injuries studied caused severe permanent impairment of vision. Owing to the blunt nature of the horns, a significant amount of energy is imparted into the eye. To prevent these injuries, coagulation of the horns should be performed 2 weeks after a calf's birth or farmers should be advised to wear safety glasses.