Eye Injuries From Eggs

With Halloween around the corner a warning about throwing eggs is being issued. Research published in the Emergency Medicine Journal demonstrates that assault with raw eggs can result in grave eye injuries including the possibility of permanent loss of vision or blindness. Researchers conducted a prospective study of 13 patients who developed injuries after being hit in the eye with a raw egg. The average patient was 28 years old. The eye injuries were classified into minor, intermediate and major if extensive damage had occurred. Minor injuries included bruising of the eyelid, bleeding just under the conjunctiva- the vascular layer that surrounds the white part of the eye, or a corneal scratch or scrape. Intermediate injuries included those resulting in a transient rise in the eye?s pressure, or the development of inflammation. Major injuries included significant bleeding within the eye, bruising of the retina, retinal detachment, or a rupture of the eye itself. On initial examination researchers noted that vision was reduced in over 90% of patients; in over half of patients, the vision was reduced below the threshold needed to drive. One person went blind from their injury. While no patient developed a rupture of the eye, over half of the injuries were classified as ?major?. Over 25% of the patients had permanent eye damage, some even after having received eye surgery. The study shows the hazards of throwing raw eggs at people. When thrown, eggs should be considered to be projectiles that can travel at high levels of speed, and can cause permanent eye damage.