Ophthalmic B - Scan for Ocular Trauma: A Vital Tool for Early Diagnosis in Rural Healthcare

Dr. Maansi Shah, Dr. Akshay Bhandari

Abstract: Background: Ocular trauma is a major cause of preventable blindness and monocular visual impairment, with a significant burden in rural population. A comprehensive ocular assessment is crucial for early diagnosis and management. However, when media opacities hinder direct visualization, B - scan ultrasonography becomes a vital diagnostic tool. Objective: To study the ophthalmic B - scan findings in patients presenting with ocular trauma having opaque ocular media at a rural tertiary care hospital. Methods: An observational, descriptive cross - sectional study was conducted after the ethical committee approval for 9 months. A total of 20 patients with history of ocular trauma with opaque media were evaluated using ophthalmic B - Scan. Findings were analyzed based on the mode of injury, cause of trauma and diagnosis made using B - Scan. Results: Most cases were seen in the age group between 16 - 60 years with 70% occurring in males. Injury with a wooden stick was the most common cause of trauma (55%). Traumatic cataract was the most common finding found in 30% cases. Other ocular findings included vitreous hemorrhage (25%), vitreous degeneration (25%), vitreous detachment (15%), retained foreign body in vitreous (5%), retinal detachment (5%), endophthalmitis (5%) & choroidal detachment (5%). Conclusion: Ophthalmic B - Scan is a quick, non - invasive, cost effective & easily available investigation, especially valuable in a rural area used to evaluate and determine management for patients with ocular trauma who are at a higher risk of ocular morbidity and vision loss.

Keywords: Ocular trauma, B - scan ultrasonography, rural healthcare, opaque media