AIM: To evaluate the application of C₃F₈ filling in the vitreous chamber using in primary surgery of complexity of open eye injury.

METHODS: A total of 54 patients(54 eyes)with complexity of open eye injury from Jan. 2012 to Dec. 2014. The following conditions were complexity of open eye injury, wound involving cornea and sclera, loss of a large number of eye content, low intraocular pressure(IOP), intraocular hemorrhage. All patients underwent one stage operation, including debridement, anterior chamber irrigation and intravitreal injection of C₃F₈ gas. After 1-2wk follow-up, they underwent two-stage operation.

RESULTS: During the two stage operation, we found different dose of C₃F₈ gas in the vitreous chamber in all patients. Forty-one patients with IOP were normal, and 13 patients were low. The cornea was edema and no blood staining. Most of the vitreous body were lost and hematocele were less. All patients were found rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and choroidal detachment. All patients underwent vitrectomy and filling of silicone tamponade. After operation, best corrected visual acuity of 32 eyes(59%)improved, 17 eyes(31%)of them were not changed, and 5 eyes(9%)of them were worse.

CONCLUSION: C₃F₈ filling in vitreous chamber in one stage operation of open eye injury can stop bleeding, maintain intraocular pressure, prevent blood staining of cornea and prevent the retinal detachment and proliferation and create conditions for the two stage operation.