Question

A tennis player gets hit by a ball on the eye, following which he complains of decreased vision. Which of the following suggests that the injury is due to trauma?

• A. Optic neuritis
• B. Pars planitis
• C. Vitreous base detachment
• D. Equatorial edema

Hint:

Blunt impact tears the strongest vitreoretinal adhesion, so a detached vitreous base signals trauma.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Define the setting. A ball strikes the eye, producing blunt (closed-globe) ocular trauma. The question asks which finding is a marker of trauma.
Step 2: Understand the mechanism of blunt injury. A sudden blow compresses the globe antero-posteriorly and expands it equatorially. This shearing acts strongly at the firm attachment of the vitreous to the retina at the vitreous base (ora serrata region).
Step 3: Identify the traumatic marker. Avulsion or detachment of the vitreous base is essentially pathognomonic of trauma, because only a sudden mechanical force can tear this strong adhesion. Therefore vitreous base detachment indicates a traumatic cause.
Step 4: Exclude the non-traumatic options. Optic neuritis is an inflammatory or demyelinating optic nerve disorder, not a mechanical injury. Pars planitis is a form of intermediate uveitis (inflammation), unrelated to trauma. Equatorial edema is non-specific and not a defining sign of blunt injury.
Conclusion: Vitreous base detachment is the finding that specifically points to ocular trauma.