Conservative management of penetrating ocular trauma caused by a nail gun

PURPOSE: To report the conservative management of a penetrating ocular trauma caused by a nail gun with a six-month follow up. OBSERVATIONS: A 21 year-old healthy female suffered an ocular penetrating trauma with a nail gun. She presented with a metallic foreign body that partially entered her left eye through the nasal sclera via pars plana, 3 mm posterior to the limbus, but did not reach the retina. Surgical removal of the foreign body and closure of the scleral wound, without vitrectomy, was performed 16 h after the injury. Intravitreal prophylactic antibiotic was administered. Retinal atrophy developed in the areas that had commotio retinae at presentation, but no further complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: Pars plana vitrectomy may not be necessary in all penetrating ocular traumas with intraocular foreign body, as long as the foreign body is accessible from the exterior of the eye and there are no other conditions (such as vitreous hemorrhage, retinal detachment, endophthalmitis, etc) that are an indication for vitrectomy.