Treating CS gas injuries to the eye

BMJ 1995;311:871 (30 September)

Letters

Treating CS gas injuries to the eye

Exposure at close range is particularly dangerous

EDITOR,--Jean-Paul Yih's editorial on injuries to the eye causedby O-chlorobenzylidene malono-nitrile (CS) gas, or tear gas,draws attention to the short term effects of the gas on theeye and suggests that such injuries may well be a future problemas individual police officers in Britain will soon be carryingpocket aerosols of CS gas.¹ Yih implies that the ocular toxicityof CS gas is rapidly reversible; however, the ocular irritationfrom 1-chloroacetophenone (another tear gas agent) typicallylasts only 15 minutes but may persist for up to three days.²The problems are particularly pronounced when the charge oftear gas is fired at close range: powder infiltration of theconjunctiva, cornea, and sclera will occur. The forces are sogreat that conjunctival tearing may occur. Corneal stromal oedemaand later deep vascularisation may ensue, and a multitude ofcomplications have been . . . [Full text of this article]