Remarkable visual recovery after severe open globe injury

PURPOSE: To describe a case of remarkable visual recovery after severe open globe injury. OBSERVATIONS: We present a case of a 70-year-old man with an open globe injury with no light perception vision before and after primary repair of his ruptured globe and before secondary vitreoretinal surgery to repair a total retinal detachment with a 360° giant retinal tear and retinal incarceration in a posterior scleral wound who proceeded to recover vision to the 20/60 pinhole to 20/50 level. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: Poor presenting acuity is a known risk factor for poor visual outcome after open globe injury. We hypothesize this remarkable visual recovery could be attributable to the presence of a massive choroidal hemorrhage and limited intraocular hemorrhage elsewhere. In rare cases, vision can improve from the no light perception level after secondary vitreoretinal surgery.