A splinter of wood had been lodged in his cornea for 15 years

The story goes back to the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century, when a man was injured while gardening, and his eyes were affected. There is nothing serious a priori, and over time, the pain diminishes. The patient no longer thinks about this incident.

Splinter of wood in the cornea

Today, this patient in his 30s suffers from diabetes, a disease that can cause vision problems. Therefore, to prevent it, he must undergo a medical examination with an ophthalmologist. The latter notes the presence of a foreign body crossing the cornea in one of the patient’s eyes.

Ophthalmologists from Wayne State Universityin Detroit in the United States, and Harvard Medical School This case was reported in a study published in the journal BMJ Case Reports. The size of the foreign body found in the patient’s cornea is three millimeters.

“Most cases are detected and treated quickly after injury, because they often cause significant pain, redness, and tearing. Indicate the authors daily Mail. However, in some cases, the foreign body may be asymptomatic and remain undetectable for a long time.“

The patient’s eyes and vision were not impaired

This is what happened to this man. Researchers call his condition “Featured“Because the wood splinter could have punctured his cornea, which obviously had consequences on his vision, even risking blindness.

The ophthalmologists did not clarify whether they had removed the foreign object from his cornea. Due to the location of the wood splinter, this process can be delicate. It is possible that the doctors, knowing that the patient did not feel any pain, preferred to leave it in his cornea. On the other hand, if he experiences pain, redness, or vision problems, he should quickly consult an eye doctor.

“At the time of injury, the patient reported feeling pain and discomfort, but decided not to seek medical care because the symptoms seemed to decrease over time, Note the study authors. No additional ophthalmological evaluation or treatment was performed, and the patient’s vision appeared to be stable over the years.“