Sports-Related Injuries of the Anterior Segment

Abstract

Sports-related eye injury is a significant cause of morbidity and disability and accounts for a significant proportion of ocular trauma, especially in the young. Although some sports-related ocular injuries can be self-resolving and require little to no intervention, many other injuries have long-term sequelae that require extensive treatment and follow-up. A thorough evaluation of the mechanism of and circumstances surrounding the ocular injury is important to guide further management of the case. Blunt trauma has a significantly different pathophysiologic process compared to trauma by a sharp object, and the evaluation of the injury should be cognizant of the ocular trauma expected. The conjunctiva is most frequently involved in sports-related ocular injuries, and the nature of the conjunctival injury can often indicate involvement of other potential ocular structures. Examples of other anterior segment injuries that can result from sports-related ocular trauma include structural or functional damage to the cornea, iris injury leading to iris prolapse or laceration, ciliary body injury resulting in ciliary body detachment, lens injury resulting in cataract or subluxation/dislocation of the lens, and traumatic glaucoma. In this chapter, we provide a comprehensive review of the pathogenesis, clinical findings, treatment options, and prognosis of sports-related injuries of the anterior segment.