[Eye injuries caused by air bags].

BACKGROUND: Since the introduction of Airbag several reports about airbag-associated ocular injuries where published.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Here we report about four patients who were seen and treated in the university eye clinic Bern the last two years.

RESULTS: The injuries included alkali burns, mechanical erosions and contusion of the globe associated with ruptures of the choroid and retinal detachment. Injuries were strictly unilateral in all cases, two affecting the right eye, two the left eye. Two cases healed without any residual lesions, while the other two showed a persistent reduction of visual acuity.

CONCLUSIONS: The airbag is certainly a lifesaving device in modern passenger vehicles. Nevertheless severe eye injuries can be caused by these devices. Further research and development concerning the volume of the inflating gas, the size of the airbag as well as the speed of the vehicle at which the airbag is activated, should be continued.