No CrossRef data available.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 May 2011
Blunt trauma is a leading cause of injury in the teenage population. The early detection of injury is the primary goal of emergency medicine in order to maintain an optimal functional capacity. This is of particular importance in the pediatric population. The following is a case presentation of monocular vision loss in a 14-year-old girl as a result of traumatic optic neuropathy. A motor vehicle collision was the cause of injury for this patient. She was an unrestrained rear seat passenger and struck her head on the driver's headrest during a frontal impact. A delayed presentation of over seven hours added to the complexity of this presentation. Further, a non-contrasted computed tomography (CT) scan of the head and orbits was unremarkable except for soft tissue swelling. The child was left with only light perception in the affected eye. This case presentation will illustrate the importance of immediate care, diagnostic studies, proper consultant input, follow-up care, and the natural history of the injury for this most unusual case.