EYE INJURIES OF FORENSIC EXAMINATION: INVESTIGATION, ANALYSIS, EXPERT PERSPECTIVES

Аннотация

The article presents a forensic medical analysis of eye injuries, focusing on mechanisms, classification, and diagnostic methods. It examines trauma caused by blunt, sharp, firearm, and explosive agents, emphasizing the importance of detailed documentation and expert evaluation. Modern imaging and histological tools are discussed as key elements in forensic practice. The article offers practical insights for forensic experts through case studies and current methodologies. Keywords: Blunt and sharp trauma, crime-related eye injuries, eye injuries, expert analysis, forensic diagnostics, forensic examination, forensic ophthalmology, injury interpretation, injury mechanism, medico-legal evaluation, ocular trauma, visual system damage. Relevance. Eye injuries are an important medical and forensic problem due to their high incidence, the severity of possible consequences, and the importance of vision as a vital function [1, 3, 4, 8, 11, 13]. A ccording to the World Health Organization, eye injuries are recorded annually in millions of people worldwide, including as a result of criminal activity, road traffic accidents, industrial accidents, and domestic conflicts [2, 5, 7]. Impaired visual function even in one eye can significantly affect the quality of life of the victim, his professional suitability, and social adaptation. Forensic examination of eye injuries is of particular importance in establishing the severity of harm to health, determining the mechanism of injury, and identifying signs of simulation, aggravation, or artificially inflicted damage [6, 9, 10]. Of particular difficulty is distinguishing between different types of injury and establishing a cause-and-effect relationship between the traumatic impact and the identified visual impairment [14, 15, 16]. Considering the wide range of clinical and expert tasks facing forensic medical specialists, it is necessary to systematize modern concepts of eye injuries, generalize diagnostic and expert criteria, and analyze existing regulatory documents governing forensic medical assessment of harm to health in case of ophthalmological injuries [1, 3, 6, 12]. Purpose of the study. To present current data on injuries to the visual organ from the perspective of forensic medicine, to characterize existing classifications, clinical manifestations, expert approaches to assessing the severity of harm to health and to outline current problems and prospects for the development of forensic https://scientific-jl.com/new 4444 6666 2222 Volume–76_Issue-1_May-2025 JOURNAL OF NEW CENTURY INNOVATIONS ophthalmological examination. Classification of injuries to the organ of vision. Classification of eye injuries is important not only for clinical practice, but also for forensic medical assessment of the severity of harm to health. Systematization of injuries allows for correct interpretation of the mechanism of injury, determination of its nature, prediction of consequences and determination of qualifying features of the offense. Classification by mechanism of traumatic impact. Mechanical injuries. Dull (contusions)– caused by the impact of a blunt object without violating the integrity of the membranes of the eyeball. Often accompanied by hemorrhages, retinal detachments, subluxation of the lens. Penetrating – accompanied by a violation of the integrity of the outer membranes of the eye (cornea, sclera) with possible loss of intraocular structures. Non-penetrating – damage to the superficial structures without perforation of the eyeball. Combined – combine several types of damaging effects (for example, mechanical + chemical). Foreign bodies – metal, glass and other particles can get inside the eye or orbit. Thermal injuries. Occurs when exposed to high or low temperatures. Often combined with burns of the eyelids and face. Chemical injuries. Caused by alkalis, acids, irritating gases. Alkalis penetrate deeper and cause more severe lesions. Radiation damage. Exposure to ultraviolet, infrared or ionizing radiation, including laser and microwave radiation. The cornea, lens and retina are most vulnerable. Classification by localization of the lesion. Lesions of the eyeball. Cornea, sclera, anterior chamber, iris, lens, vitreous body, retina, optic nerve. Lesions of the accessory apparatus of the eye. Eyelids, lacrimal apparatus, eye muscles, orbit. Lesions of the visual analyzer outside the orbit. Optic nerve (intracranial segment), visual pathways, visual cortex. WHO Ophthalmological Classification includes levels of visual acuity, degree of visual field impairment, functional limitations. Birmingham Eye Trauma Terminology (BETT) is an international system for standardizing the terminology of eye injuries, dividing them into open and closed injuries with details by the type of damaging agent. Etiology and mechanism of eye injuries. The study of the etiological factors and mechanisms of eye injuries is of key importance for forensic medical examination, since it allows us to estab