External ocular trauma in instrumental and normal deliveries

ABSTRACT Objective To compare the occurrence of external ocular trauma in instrumental and normal deliveries. Design Prospective controlled study. Setting University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff. Subjects 133 babies born consecutively with the use of forceps and 133 control babies born without instrumentation to women matched for parity. Interventions External ocular examination. Main outcome measures The presence within 24 h of birth of corneal oedema, corneal abrasion, conjunctival chemosis, subconjunctival haemorrhage and lid oedema. Results Lid oedema and multiple minor external ocular trauma occurred in 52 and 22 babies, respectively, in the instrumental delivery group and in 13 and 8 babies, respectively in the control group (P