Open globe injury and intraocular foreign body following crossbow-related penetrating ocular trauma

PURPOSE: To describe a case of a penetrating ocular trauma and plastic intraocular foreign body (IOFB), undetected on preoperative imaging. OBSERVATIONS: We present the findings of a 40-year-old male who sustained an open globe injury and IOFB composed of plastic following crossbow-related trauma. Preoperative detection of the IOFB was unsuccessful on clinical exam, computed tomography (CT) and ultrasonography. During extraction of the traumatic cataract, an intralenticular IOFB was discovered and removed through an enlarged limbal incision. Postoperative review revealed that a fragmented plastic “nock”, from the crossbow arrow bolt, was the likely IOFB source. The bolt was produced by injection molding which may lead to trapped gas within the plastic, causing radiolucency on CT. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: Radiolucent plastic warrants consideration on the differential diagnosis when intraocular gas is noted on computed tomography following penetrating ocular trauma. Multimodal imaging should be considered if IOFB is suspected and not detected by CT.