Visual outcome of childhood anterior perforating eye injuries: prognostic indicators.

Ninety-six cases of anterior globe perforation in children less than 16 years old, requiring surgical repair, were reviewed. Seventy-three patients were male and 23 female, with a mean age of 9 years 4 months. Perforation involving just the cornea was associated with a good visual prognosis unless: it involved the visual axis, resulting in corneal scarring and/or significant astigmatism (> 3.0 DS); it involved greater than one-quarter of corneal diameter; or there was non-compliance with spectacles/patching in patients younger than 8 years old. Injuries involving the lens in those younger than 8 years were associated with a far worse prognosis due to the problems of correcting aphakia. Surgical delay and method of injury did not affect prognosis. Some patients fail to re-attend and greater patient/parent education prior to discharge is recommended.