OBJECTIVE: Snake bite is an environmental hazard associated with significant ocular morbidity and some have sight threatening complications. Objective of this study was to determine the ocular manifestations and long standing visual impairment following snake bite and to acquaint the ophthalmologists and related health professionals about the sight threatening ocular complications related to snake bite. METHODS: Prospective data was collected from the Dept. of Internal Medicine, Burdwan Medical College, a rural based tertiary care hospital in eastern India. All snake bite patients admitted in the Department of Internal Medicine were examined and all patients with ocular manifestations were included in the study. RESULTS: Out of 245 cases of snake bite, 51(27.27%) cases of venomous snake bite with ocular findings were included in this study. Thirty three (64.71%) out of 51 were vasculotoxic and 18(35.29%) were neurotoxic in nature. Commonest ocular manifestation of neurotoxic bite was ptosis, followed by diplopia, ophthalmoplegia and optic neuritis. In vasculotoxic snake bites retinal and vitreous hemorrhage (36.36%) was most common followed by subconjunctival hemorrhage and chemosis (27.28%), lid oedema (18.18%), hyphaema (12.12%) and anterior uveitis (6.06%). Causes of long standing visual impairment were retinal hemorrhage in one patient and vitreous hemorrhage in two patients. CONCLUSIONS: Ocular morbidity following snake bite were more common among young males. Majority of long standing visual impairment were associated with vasculotoxic snake bite and required long term follow-up.
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