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Occurrence of ocular disease in traumatic brain injury in a selected sample: a retrospective analysis.

Rutner D, Kapoor N, Ciuffreda KJ, Craig S, Han ME, Suchoff IB

Department of Clinical Sciences, SUNY/State College of Optometry, Raymond J. Greenwald Rehabilitation Center, New York, NY 10036, USA.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To determine retrospectively the relative risk of ocular disease in a selected, visually-symptomatic sample of clinic patients having traumatic brain injury (TBI; n=160) vs. cerebrovascular accident (CVA; n=60), with all initially presenting at the clinic with symptoms and/or signs of vision dysfunction. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: To review retrospectively 220 medical records of individuals with TBI (n=160) vs. CVA (n=60), as determined by a computer-based query spanning the years 2000-2003, to ascertain the frequency of occurrence of ocular disease in the two major sub-groups of acquired brain injury. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Conditions with high relative risk unique to TBI included corneal abrasion, blepharitis, chalazion/hordeolum, dry eye, traumatic cataract, vitreal prolapse and optic atrophy. This is distinct from those ophthalmic conditions unique to CVA, which included sub-conjunctival haemorrhage and ptosis. CONCLUSION: These new findings should alert clinicians to the potential increased frequency of occurrence of specific ocular diseases in a selected, visually-symptomatic population with TBI and their associated rehabilitative and quality-of-life implications.

Published 24 October 2006 in Brain Inj, 20(10): 1079-86.
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