Traumatic macular hole from intentional basketball overinflation

Yonekawa Y, Miller J, Turalba A, Eliott D. Traumatic macular hole from intentional basketball overinflation. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2013;44(3):303–5.

Abstract

We report a new mechanism of ocular trauma. A basketball was intentionally overinflated until it exploded, resulting in corneal edema, hyphema, iritis, vitreous hemorrhage, commotio retinae, and a macular hole. The macular hole did not close after observation and subsequent pars plana vitrectomy with posterior hyaloid removal, but a repeat vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling resulted in hole closure. Basketball overinflation to the point of explosion is a potentially blinding practice of which the public and manufacturers should be made aware.
Last updated on 03/06/2023