2020–2021 BCSC Basic and Clinical Science Course™
11 Lens and Cataract
Chapter 12: Preparing for Cataract Surgery in Special Situations
Ocular Trauma
Retained Foreign Matter
A foreign body in the AC may be easier to see when the patient is seated upright at the slit lamp rather than positioned supine under the operating microscope. Irrigating solutions may dislodge a foreign body from its preoperative location. When an intraocular foreign body is suspected to be located in the posterior segment, indirect ophthalmoscopy is a viable option, provided ocular media are sufficiently clear. When the view is obscured by cataract or hemorrhage, a computed tomography (CT) scan, x-ray, or ultrasonogram can help the clinician determine the presence and location of the foreign body. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is contraindicated if the foreign body is potentially metallic. A dense cataract may be removed by either a pars plana or an anterior approach, followed by pars plana vitrectomy and removal of the foreign body.
Excerpted from BCSC 2020-2021 series: Section 11 - Lens and Cataract. For more information and to purchase the entire series, please visit https://www.aao.org/bcsc.