Doctors in Lviv restored a teenager's sight after he was struck by a wire
In Lviv, doctors saved the eyesight of a 17-year-old boy from Zakarpattia who suffered a severe injury while repairing a motorcycle. A metal wire from an angle grinder flew into the young man’s eye at high speed, but after emergency surgery, the doctors managed not only to save his eye but also to fully restore his vision.
Doctors say the young man was very lucky, as the fragment came to rest just a few millimeters from the lens. Had it penetrated even slightly deeper, the consequences could have been much more serious.
At St. Nicholas Children’s Hospital in Lviv, a 17-year-old boy from Zakarpattia underwent successful surgery after nearly losing his eye in an accident while working with an angle grinder. The accident occurred in a garage, where the teenager was repairing a motorcycle with a friend. While they were working, a piece of wire broke off from the angle grinder’s metal brush and struck the boy directly in his left eye at high speed. The victim was initially taken to a local hospital, but due to the severity of his injury, he was transferred to Lviv.
The wire came to a stop just a few millimeters from the lens
After an examination, doctors found that the metal fragment, about two centimeters long, had passed through the eyelid, cornea, and conjunctiva. The most dangerous part was that the wire came to a stop literally just a few millimeters from the lens.
Doctors explain that if the fragment had penetrated even slightly deeper, the boy could have developed a cataract or even lost his eye. “He was very lucky! If the wire had entered at a different angle, the consequences would have been much more severe. This is a very fortunate outcome for both the patient and us doctors,” said pediatric ophthalmologist Anna Zayats.
The surgery lasted 40 minutes
The doctors wasted no time and immediately prepared the boy for surgery. The procedure lasted about 40 minutes. During that time, the medical team managed to carefully remove the foreign object without damaging any vital structures of the eye.
Afterward, they applied three ultra-fine micro-sutures. Thanks to the doctors’ precise work, they were able to save the eye and avoid serious complications.
His vision was fully restored
Immediately after the injury, the young man had only about 10% vision. Following the surgery, treatment, and rehabilitation, his condition gradually improved. During his most recent follow-up examination, doctors confirmed that the patient’s vision had returned to 100%.
The only lasting effect of the injury is a small scar, which has caused the young man to develop astigmatism. However, doctors note that this does not prevent him from seeing clearly.
Doctors reiterated a simple safety rule
Following this incident, doctors once again urged Ukrainians not to neglect protective gear when working with power tools. According to them, ordinary safety goggles can prevent extremely serious injuries that sometimes result in complete vision loss.
Doctors emphasize that even brief use of an angle grinder, sander, or other tools without safety goggles can have serious consequences. That is why experts advise always using eye protection, even if the task seems simple or takes only a few minutes. This was reported by the medical facility on July 24.
