Nerf gun accident causes retinal detachment in pediatric patient

For over a decade, there has been an increase in incidence of eye injuries from toy guns, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

High-speed foam darts can damage different parts of the eye, resulting in blurry vision, sharp pain, flashes of light and severe swelling.

Although there are safety goggles specifically designed to protect against Nerf darts, most children don't routinely wear eye protection.

Wyatt Tucker, who was 8 at the time, was always aware of the importance of safety goggles.

During a play date in March 2025, he went to his room to put them on, when his friend accidentally shot him in his right eye.

“He made this shrieking sound and after we consoled him and put some ice on his eye, he seemed to be okay,” said Michelle Tucker, Wyatt’s mother.

“We didn’t think it was serious.”

Over the next few days, the family realized something was wrong when Wyatt’s eye continued to hurt.

His parents took him to a walk-in clinic in Adrian, Mich., and were told to go to an optical appointment because the clinic couldn’t do a thorough examination.

At the appointment, the doctor saw that Wyatt had a retinal tear and recommended he immediately receive specialized treatment at W. K. Kellogg Eye Center.

Treating retinal detachment with surgery

The on-call team at Kellogg evaluated Wyatt and found that he had bleeding, retinal dialysis, which is a type of tear at the edge of the retina, and retinal detachment.

He was immediately scheduled for surgery the next day.

The procedure took place at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and was led by Nita Valikodath, M.D., M.S., Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences.

“The easiest way to think about his injury is to picture the retina as wallpaper lining the inside of the eye,” Valikodath said.

“The Nerf dart caused retinal dialysis, which led to the retina peeling away from the wall of the eye, like wallpaper to coming off the wall, resulting in retinal detachment."

Left untreated, retinal detachment might reach the macula, a critical visual center, leading to permanent vision loss.

The surgery, which takes a few hours, involves placing a scleral buckle, which is a silicone band that wraps around the eye beneath the muscles of the eye.

The buckle indents the wall of the eye inward, closer to the detached retina, helping it reattach.

Generally, scleral buckles remain in the eye permanently.

During the procedure, the team also used cryotherapy to repair the tear, and they drained the fluid that was accumulating under the retina.

“Even in a very stressful situation, Wyatt and his family remained calm, positive and continued to find humor along the way,” Valikodath said.

“Wyatt had remarkable maturity for his age. He asked thoughtful questions and carefully followed our instructions, which played an important role in his smooth and quick recovery.”

Wyatt recovered from his surgery within three months. His post-surgical care involved wearing an eye patch for protection and regular eye drops for healing.

The surgery also made him slightly near-sighted, which was easily corrected with prescription glasses.

During the entire process, the family relied on their faith in Jesus and the church community’s prayer chain who prayed for Wyatt’s recovery.

Advocating for safety gear when playing with toy guns

The Tuckers continue to spread their message of awareness to other families who might not realize how dangerous Nerf guns are if proper precautions aren't taken.

Wyatt, his brother Hunter and his sister Kali are all homeschooled.

At a recent meeting of the homeschool co-op, they were surprised to see that many families didn’t have any eyewear for a Nerf gun play session.

“I always reiterate that parents should ensure everyone has eyewear on or their entire face is covered,” Tucker said.

“Don't get the toy gun out and don’t start playing until everyone is safe. Wyatt had perfect vision before his accident and now he will need glasses for his injured eye.”

In his spare time Wyatt enjoys riding bikes, going on adventure walks, swimming, fishing and playing with his siblings.

“He is an adventurous kid who always has creative ideas to try out with his siblings,” Tucker said.

“They enjoy their love-hate relationship.”

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