[Cobra bite: ophthalmic manifestations].

The venom of the cobra snake contains a mixture of several toxic enzymes and proteins. It has a direct action on the respiratory centers, as well as curariform interference at the neuromuscular junction, resulting in death from respiratory paralysis. It can injure the visual system by damaging the retinal cells, causing bilateral optic neuritis and cortical blindness. Due to a particular configuration of its venom ducts, the African cobra is capable of poisoning both by biting or by spitting its venom. We present an 18-year-old woman with severely impaired visual function which resulted from a cobra bite in childhood.