Combined branch retinal artery and branch retinal vein occlusion from a globe penetrating nail gun injury

Background: Nail gun injuries represent a significant proportion of work-related ocular trauma. Here we report a rare case of a combined branch retinal arterial occlusion (BRAO) and branch retinal venous occlusion (BRVO) from a nail gun injury in a patient who was wearing eye protection. Case description: A 23-year-old male presented with a left globe penetrating injury from a pneumatic nail gun. The nail ricochet bypassed the patient’s protective eyewear, penetrating the left globe causing multiple retinal tears and a combined BRAO and BRVO in the inferior temporal vascular arcade. The patient underwent prompt surgical repair obtaining an excellent anatomic outcome. However, the visual outcome was 20/200 OS at one and two years post injury primarily due to extensive ischemic damage of the retina. Conclusion: This case is the first to describe a combined BRAO and BRVO from a globe penetrating injury. What makes this case even rarer is that the patient was wearing eye protection at the time of the injury. Despite appropriate emergency management, rapid referral for ophthalmologist assessment, and timely surgical management of this patient, the visual outcome was poor. The vascular injury ultimately compromised a significant segment of the retina, including the macula.