Blowout Fracture

R.Wilkinson

This paper reviews 29 cases of blowout fracture seen over a three year period. It outlines the theories on the mechanism of blowout fracture and concludes that it is most likely caused by a combination of bone and global force transmission. The ocular motility restriction is no longer thought to be due to muscle entrapment, but rather traumatic disruption to the connective tissue septa and the orbital tension, either by entrapment or fibrosis. Ten patients were noted to have visual field damage and emphasis is placed on routine visual field testing at the initial examination. The poor results achieved in young patients with blowout fracture were consistent with other surveys.