“Is my eyesight gone?” Patient perspectives of orbital blow-out fractures

Abstract

PurposeTo understand patient’s experience with blow-out fracture of the orbit and its possible influence on managementDesignA purposive, non-probabilistic, sample of 21 patients treated in a secondary care hospital were interviewed. Interviewswere recorded and transcribed verbatim and data analysis continued until saturation. A framework approach was used tohelp organise the data and the principles of the constant comparison method were adopted to analyse the data.FindingsPatients with blow-out fractures of the orbit perceived the diplopia associated with the injury as an eye injury with thepotential for loss of vision. They found it difficult to relate such concerns with the clinical information described bysurgeons and this, and the injury itself, negatively impacted on their everyday lives.