TEMPORARY KERATOPROSTHESIS COMBINED WITH VITRECTOMY FOR SEVERE GLOBE INJURY.

Purpose: To describe a case of a 44-year-old man with ocular trauma after a mine explosion. From the moment of the injury, the patient reported significant visual impairment (no perception of light in the right eye and a perception of light without localization in the left eye). The patient was diagnosed with a double-sided penetrating corneal scleral wound and traumatic cataract, retinal detachment, and intraocular foreign bodies after a battlefield mine explosion.

Methods: The three-stage procedure, consisting of using soft contact lens as temporary keratoprosthesis, vitrectomy, and penetrating keratoplasty, was performed in the damaged eye.

Results: A soft contact lens allowed for excellent visualization of the posterior segment during vitrectomy. At the 1-month follow-up, the eye that was operated on could sense light. The corneal transplant remained translucent, and the retina was attached.

Conclusion: The described method, when performed by an experienced surgeon, may aid in simultaneously treating coexisting corneal opacification and vitreoretinal disorders.