Blindness from spitting cobra venom: Case report

Abstract

Spitting cobra is the name given to some snakes of the family of Elapidae, belonging to the genus Naja or Hemachatus that have the ability to spitt heir venom (up to 3m) to blind their predators. Naja mossambica is the most answered species in Africa.The precise statistics of attacks due to this snake are available, let alone those related to therate of blindness in relation to its venom.This venom, harmless to the skin,can causecorneal necrosis responsible within hours of blindness in the absence of abundantrinsing of eyes with water. This observation has aimed to report a case of bilateral blindness due to corneal opacification, effects of an attack by a Naja mossambica in a15 years old woman from Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).