Potato gun ocular injury.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to identify a dangerous new weapon capable of causing damage to the ocular and periocular regions.

METHODS

The authors report two patients who had penetrating ocular injury in the past year because of homemade recreational potato guns.

RESULTS

In one 14-year-old boy, projectiles from the firing of a potato gun resulted in orbital and cranial injuries that were life threatening with widespread fractures, marked disruption of facial structures, a cerebrospinal fluid fistula requiring bifrontal surgical repair, and loss of one eye. In a separate accident with a different potato gun, a 14-year-old boy who was wearing glasses at the time of injury had a sight-threatening perforating corneal laceration.

CONCLUSIONS

Practitioners must be aware of the existence of these new, homemade unregulated devices. Information about the use and construction of these guns is widespread on the Internet, but no injuries resulting from these guns currently are documented in the medical literature.