TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2000//
TI  - Blindness caused by an airbag in a minor accident
JO  - Ophthalmologe : Zeitschrift der Deutschen Ophthalmologischen Gesellschaft
A1  - sele, S
A1  - Stein, Kirsten Marion
A1  - Peuser, A.
A1  - Miltner, E.
A1  - Burk, R. O.
SP  - 874
EP  - 877
VL  - 97
IS  - 12
N2  - PURPOSE: Installation of airbags has reduced the rate of fatal injuries in severe automobile accidents. We report, however, severe ocular injuries in a minor accident as the result of an airbag. CASE REPORT: A front passenger suffered a blunt ocular trauma of her right eye during a collision. The approaching speed was about 31 km/h. The maximum change of velocity in direction of the impact was 19 km/h. Color traces were found on the upper rim of the airbag, apparently from the patient's eye shadow. RESULTS: In the emergency room, visual acuity was reduced to light perception. There was endothelial contusion, traumatic mydriasis, and lens subluxation. A sclopetarian retinopathy developed with a chorioretinal scar. Eight months after the accident visual acuity remained at light projection only. CONCLUSIONS: The eye injuries had very probably been caused by the deploying airbag. Improvements are a better geometry of deployment (e.g., tethered airbags), release at higher impacts only, and "intelligent systems" with additional sensors to avoid potentially hazardous airbag inflation in minor accidents.
LA  - 
SN  - 0941-293X
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -