Supplementary Material for: High Pressure Water Jet Ocular Injuries during Riot Control – A Case series

Purpose: To describe various ocular injuries caused by water jets, with a particular emphasis on injuries inflicted by water cannon vehicles used during riots. Design: A retrospective observational case series Methods: We report a case series of eleven eyes of nine patients injured form a direct high pressure water jet used by the police in Israel as a riot control measure during a demonstration. All patients admitted to the emergency room with blunt ocular trauma had undergone clinical examination by an ophthalmologist. Results: Hyphema was the most common ocular injury observed, affecting 8 out of the 11 eyes examined, followed by traumatic mydriasis and vitreous hemorrhage in 54% and 36% of patients, respectively. In this series two of nine patients required ocular surgery. Injuries requiring surgical intervention were retinal detachment, lens dislocation and vitreous hemorrhage. Conclusions: Water-jet injuries may inflict severe damage to the globe and orbital structures. Care should be taken preventing such injuries inflicted by water cannon vehicles used during riots.