Commotio retinae (Berlin's edema) occurs following a blunt trauma to the eye, with damage to the photoreceptor cells of the posterior pole.
Mechanism: contrecoup injury
Clinical features:
(1) loss of vision following blunt trauma
(2) fundoscopy shows whitening and opacification of the retina along the posterior pole, which may be localized or widespread
(3) focal retinal hemorrhages may be present
(4) traumatic mydriasis may be present
Severe cases may show:
(1) a retinal tear or break
(2) a macular hole
(3) subretinal pigmentation
Most cases resolve spontaneously but severe cases may be associated with permanent visual loss.
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Specialty: Ophthalmology, Emergency Medicine, Surgery, general
ICD-10: ,
