Injury to the eye

Recurrent abrasions Occasionally, the corneal epithelium may repeatedly break down if the patient has had a previous injury or has an inherently weak adhesion between the epithelial cells and the basement membrane. Objects likely to cause penetrating eye injuries * Hammer and chisel * Glass * Knives * Thorns * Darts * Pencils Sympathetic ophthalmia, in which chronic inflammation develops in the uninjured eye, is a potentially serious complication of any severe penetrating eye injury. The ABC of Eyes is written by P T Khaw, professor of ophthalmology at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London ( p.khaw@ucl.ac.uk ), P Shah, consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre, Birmingham ( p.f.shah@talk21.com ), and A R Elkington, emeritus professor of ophthalmology, University of Southampton.