To analyze the postoperative outcomes in addition to complications after vitreoretinal surgery for patients with palette gun eye injuries.

This study was a retrospective review of the clinical records of all cases of palette gun eye injuries coming to Farabi eye hospital, Tehran, Iran from year 2008 to year 2012. Patients demographics, type of injury, choice of management, complications and final surgical success rate including the final visual acuity is reported.

One hundred and eleven patients (94 male and 17 female patients p<0.01) with a mean age of 25±15.6 years entered the study. The most common age group was young patients including 39 patients (35.1%). The mean uncorrected visual acuity after treatment was 2.9±0.89D. The most prevalent ocular zone was zone III injury observed in 43 patients (38.7%). Intraocular foreign body was present in 97 patients (87.4%) and lid laceration in 27 patients (24.3%). The most common ocular trauma score was 1 observed among 41 patients (36.9%). lensectomy and vitrectomy was the most common treatment performed in 35 patients (31.5%). In most patients 94(87.4%) the injury was indeliberate. The most common time of hospitalization after the injury was the same day observed in 50 patients (45.0%).

Our results suggest that pallet gun injuries are more common among young male patients and the final visual outcome after treatment is poor. The most common treatment was lensectomy and vitrectomy.