Contributor: Jared Scott, MD
Educational Pearls:
- A rust ring can occur after a metallic foreign body is left in the eye for a prolonged period of time
- Issues occur when the rust ring is left as it can epithelialize and become a permanent spot in the patient's vision
- An eye burr or Alger brush can help to gouge out the rust ring in the emergency setting
- These tools have a failsafe mechanism to prevent the eye burr from going through layers past the cornea (though this does not work if the foreign body is already through the cornea)
- Referral to ophthalmology, antibiotic drops, and dilating drops are recommended options upon discharge
- Complications include poor wound healing, scarring, and infection
References
Camodeca AJ, Anderson EP. Corneal Foreign Body. [Updated 2021 Apr 26]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK536977/
https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/article/no-insult-to-injury-managing-foreign--body-removal
Summarized by John Spartz, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD
The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at https://emergencymedicalminute.org/cme-courses/ and create an account.