Acute Ocular Manifestations after an Accidental Hydrofluoric Acid Release.

Kim, Yong Joon; Park, Sang Hyouk; Choi, Kyung Seek

doi:2013.54.11.1663

J Korean Ophthalmol Soc > Volume 54(11); 2013 > Article

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 2013;54(11):1663-1668.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2013.54.11.1663 Published online November 15, 2013.

Acute Ocular Manifestations after an Accidental Hydrofluoric Acid Release.

Yong Joon Kim, Sang Hyouk Park, Kyung Seek Choi

¹Department of Ophthalmology, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. ckseek@naver.com
²Department of Ophthalmology, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Gumi, Korea.

대규모 불산 누출사고가 지역사회의 눈 건강에 미치는 영향

김용준¹⋅박상혁²⋅최경식¹

Department of Ophthalmology, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine¹, Seoul, Korea
Department of Ophthalmology, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine², Gumi, Korea

Abstract

PURPOSE
To report the ocular health of a community after an accidental release of hydrofluoric acid (HF). METHODS: The hospital records of 327 patients that were exposed to HF between Sep 9, 2012 and Oct 31, 2012 were reviewed. Demographic characteristics, subjective ocular symptoms, and the ophthalmologic examination results of the patients were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Among the 327 patients, 203 patients (62.1%) were exposed to hydrofluoric acid (HF) within 1,000 m of the site of the accident. A total of 131 patients (40.1%) were exposed to HF over 3 days. The most frequently reported ocular symptoms after HF exposure were ocular pain (49.5%) and conjunctival hyperemia (37.9%). Conjunctival hyperemia (43.4%), corneal erosion (23.9%), conjunctiva papilla, and follicles (24.2% and 14.4%, respectively) were noted during ophthalmologic examinations, but 46.2% of patients were normal on examination. None of the patients had vision-threatening damages. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, severe ocular surface changes, which can affect vision, were not identified. This result could be explained by the low atmospheric HF concentration after the accident.

Key Words: Chemical burn;Hydrofluoric acid;Ocular manifestation