Coluber Constrictor Bite to the Eye: A Novel Case Report of a Wild Snake Bite to the Eye in North America and Review of Literature

A Guide to Direct (Peri)ocular Injuries Caused by Snakes: Systematic Review and Treatment Advice

“…A 9year-old girl from the United States, who was catching lizards near the ground, was bitten in her upper eyelid by a Southern black racer (Coluber constrictor priapus). 8 Visual acuity was normal and the anterior chamber was deep. But because of a near-total conjunctival hemorrhage, a 360 limbal conjunctival peritomy was performed under general anesthesia, on which no further injuries were discovered.…”

“…Four patients were under 10 years. [5][6][7][8] Nine reports came from the United States, four were from the United Kingdom, and there were single reports from Brazil, Taiwan, and India. The oldest case was from 1989, but the majority was published after 2000.…”

“…Seven reports of patients bitten by a nonvenomous snake were retrieved (Table 2). 7,8,[13][14][15][16][17] One young patient was bitten by a wild colubrid. The other six pertained to snakes held in captivity, and all involved a corneal perforation.…”

“…A 360 limbal conjunctival peritomy should be made if subconjunctival hemorrhage prohibits proper inspection of the sclera. 8 Intraocular antibiotic prophylaxis to reduce the risk of endophthalmitis can be considered (e.g., cefuroxime, vancomycin, and fluoroquinolones). 25 The timing of traumatic cataract extraction depends on various factors, such as lens-induced uveitis, perioperative vision due to corneal injury, and the availability of biometric data.…”