Paintball-related ocular trauma: Paintball or Painball?

Abstract

BackgroundThe aim of this study is to describe the type and severity of paintball-related ocular trauma and to determine the necessary precautions to minimize the risk of ocular injury regardless of whether adequate eye protection was used.Material/MethodsA retrospective chart review identified patients treated for paintball-related ocular trauma at the Ataturk University Medical Hospital from June 2010 through March 2013. A descriptive analysis of data was performed.ResultsTen patients with paintball-related ocular trauma were identified. At the time of their first examination, 7 of these patients had visual acuity (VA) of 20/200 or worse. One patient had a final VA of no light perception and 4 patients had a final VA of 20/200 or worse. Hyphema was noted in 7 patients, traumatic cataract in 2, iridodialysis in 2, retinal detachment in 3, and secondary glaucoma in 1. Six patients required surgery. Although all victims have used eye protection during the game, all patients were injured after they thought the game was over and had taken off their helmets or eye-protective devices.ConclusionsPaintball-related accidents result in serious ocular trauma and most of the patients require surgery. These injuries result in severe loss of VA in some patients. Uninterrupted use of proper eye protection whenever a player is in the game field, even after they believe the game has ended, may reduce the incidence of severe ocular trauma in paintball players.

Paintball related ocular injuries: First case report in Saudi patients

“…Ocular injuries caused by paintball have similarities to those occurring after blunt trauma. The mechanism of globe injuries caused by paintball involves coup-countercoup trauma and anterior-posterior pressure to the globe 1 . This mechanism explains how choroidal rupture and iridodialysis occur.…”

“…Paintball projectiles from compressed CO 2 powered rifles are smaller in size and travel at very high speeds. These factors explain why paintballs are able to cause such serious ocular damage 1 …”

“…All of the patients in our series were male. Male patients are four times more likely than female to sustain ocular injures many of which are sports related 1 …”

“…Large objects that cause diffuse periorbital impact result in less injury to the eye because of the absorption of the shock by the orbital margin 6 while serious ocular injury results from smaller and faster traveling objects. 1 Paintball projectiles from compressed CO 2 powered rifles are smaller in size and travel at very high speeds. These factors explain why paintballs are able to cause such serious ocular damage.…”

“…Paintball is a popular game played outdoors in an open field between two teams. Players try to eliminate the opposing team’s players from the game by shooting them with paintballs from compressed CO 2 powered rifles, in order to capture their flag 1 …”