# Fractured Eye Orbit - Blowout fracture!



## kev (Feb 18, 2004)

Was riding a skinny... that, obviously, I should not have been... and went down, hitting my face on a rock. Oddly enough, the rock was covered with about 1/2" of moss so it sort of softened the initial blow. I can only image what getting hit by a professional boxer feels like, but I imagine that there is a split second of, 'oh, that isn't so bad' as the glove connects, and then a POW! as the true damage of the hit sinks in. That's what this felt like. No cuts or abrasions, though my lower eye lid blew up like a balloon, or a ball sack, according to one observer. 

The surgery to repair entailed pulling out a thumbnail sized chunk of bone from the eye orbit that was floating around, and replacing it with a wafer of a coral-derived composite.

Onward and upward, as they say... Can't wait to get back on my bike!


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## Grinderz (Aug 31, 2012)

Wow that is a pretty nasty injury. So lucky you didn't hit directly with your eyes/nose bridge. Do you have an indication to healing times? Can't even imagine how painful that must be. 

Hopefully the healing goes well and drama free.


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## kev (Feb 18, 2004)

Well the surgery was Monday. I stopped the Vicodin yesterday, which was Thursday, and the doc says I can start working out again two weeks from the date of the surgery. Probably 4 weeks until I can ride trails and not have to worry about it. Good point about what could have been a really nasty injury if I had hit right in the center of my face.

The hardest part right now is that I am still seeing double when I look far up, down, side to side.


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## otis24 (Apr 1, 2004)

kev said:


> Well the surgery was Monday. I stopped the Vicodin yesterday, which was Thursday, and the doc says I can start working out again two weeks from the date of the surgery. Probably 4 weeks until I can ride trails and not have to worry about it. Good point about what could have been a really nasty injury if I had hit right in the center of my face.
> 
> The hardest part right now is that I am still seeing double when I look far up, down, side to side.


The double vision will go down when the swelling around your eye comes down. I also had a blow out of the orbital bone in July. I also had a zygotomaxillary complex. I broke my cheek bone in all three locations where it connects to your skull. My cheekbone was moved downward 2cm and rotated 3 degrees. I also broke my upper jaw in 3 places. I had a total of 8 fractures. My orbital blow out was fixed by reducing the bone back into place. The rest was fixed with 5 plates and 15 screws. Oh yeah, almost forgot I broke the 5th metacarpal on my left hand plus a concussion.

I recovered quick and as of today I think I'm faster on the bike than I was before. You'll do the same I'm sure....good luck.


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## 475856 (Feb 6, 2010)

That looks painful.. Heal up well!! Are you going to wear a full face helmet now? There are a few peeps with those MET Parachute helmets here and I am wondering about getting one too.


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