Anterior segment intraocular metallic foreign body causing chronic hypopyon uveitis

Intraocular foreign body (IOFB) is a common association of penetrating ocular trauma. Early diagnosis and removal of IOFBs especially if they are metallic is very important to determine further management and the final result of treatment. Missed IOFB may present in different clinical aspects that may limit its detection and symptoms may only become apparent after a prolonged period of time. We report a case of a missed metallic intraocular foreign body in the anterior chamber over a 2-year period without causing severe inflammatory reaction and presented with uveitis later. A 42-year-old man presented with a progressive blurring of vision, pain, photophobia, and redness in the left eye for 3 months. He had a history of traffic accident 2 years ago and he was accepted to intensive care unit for 3 days. Three months ago, in another center, he was admitted to hospital for 1 week and intravitreal antibiotics and medical treatment were given for pain, photophobia, and redness in his left eye. In five o' clock meridian of the angle, there was an IOFB coated with hypopyon was observed under biomicrocopic magnification. Plain X-ray and computed tomography confirmed the foreign body in the left eye. After obtaining informed consent from the patient, the foreign body was removed under local anesthesia. © 2010 The Author(s).