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UAE: 13-year-old hit by cricket ball saved from nearly going blind

While playing, the Grade 8 student was struck with a ball on his left eye, which caused pain, redness, and blurry vision

Published: Tue 24 Dec 2024, 2:57 PM

Updated: Tue 24 Dec 2024, 8:57 PM

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Pre- and post-op images of the child's eye

Pre- and post-op images of the child's eye

When this 13-year-old boy was playing cricket with his friends in a parking lot, he never thought he would go home with a rare eye condition.

While playing, the Grade 8 student was struck with a ball on his left eye, which caused pain, redness, and blurry vision. Although his parents put an ice pack on the affected area, the child’s symptoms worsened, prompting them to seek medical attention.

After the child was referred to Aster Hospital Mankhool, Specialist Ophthalmologist Dr Gazala Hasan Mansuri detected a giant retinal tear and multiple retinal breaks in the left eye.

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“Retinal tears after a blunt forceful injury is a relatively common occurrence in adults and can be easily missed as there are no vision problems associated,” she said.

“It usually presents after it leads to retinal detachment and loss of vision. Early diagnosis and prompt intervention are key when dealing with such conditions.”

Urgent action taken

Once a comprehensive eye examination was conducted, which included detailed imaging of the retina and an advanced scan, a significant tear which extended over 90 degrees of the retina was confirmed. This put the boy at immediate risk of retinal detachment.

A retinal detachment happens when retina pulls away from its regular position and is considered a medical emergency. The longer the detachment goes without treatment, the greater the risk of permanent vision loss in the affected eye. Some symptoms include loss of vision and sudden appearance of dark floating shapes and flashes of light.

Recognising the urgency of the situation, Dr Gazala recommended immediate intervention with a non-invasive preventive laser treatment to seal the tear and prevent the onset of retinal detachment. “In this case, timely laser treatment was crucial in preventing retinal detachment and saving the child’s vision,” she said.

The laser procedure, which took just 15-20 minutes, was performed using numbing eye drops. The tears and retinal breaks were successfully sealed and the child was discharged the same day.

Rare occurrence

According to Dr Gazala, such incidents are extremely rare in children. “Retinal detachment in children is extremely uncommon with incidence approximately 0.38 to 0.69 in 100,000 eyes in a study,” she said. “This case is unique in a way that child suffered a giant retinal tear which itself is a very rare 0.09 in 100,000. And it could be identified and treated before it could lead to retinal detachment.”

She said she was relieved that the child recuperated quickly and advised all parents to take eye injuries seriously. “It’s heartening to see the patient recovering so well and resuming normal activities,” she said.

“In case of any kind of eye injury it is important to always seek an expert evaluation as early as possible. The eye may look normal or with minimal symptoms from the outside but like a tip of iceberg internal injuries can be misjudged by family. I encourage all parents to seek immediate professional care if their child sustains any eye injury, as prompt treatment can prevent long-term complications."

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