A body found indoors has both eyes open. A horizontal brownish-black band is present across each exposed sclera, adjacent to the corneal margin. This finding indicates:
- A Antemortem conjunctival haemorrhage from strangulation
- B Postmortem drying of exposed sclera, called tache noire ✓
- C Petechial haemorrhage of asphyxial death
- D Early corneal opacity indicating a postmortem interval of over 24 hours
Correct answer: B. Postmortem drying of exposed sclera, called tache noire
Explanation
Tache noire is a brownish to black transverse band across the sclera caused by drying of the exposed conjunctiva when the eyelids remain open after death. It appears within a few hours and is purely a postmortem artefact of desiccation, carrying no implication of asphyxia or trauma. Petechiae are punctate and reddish-purple, not a continuous band, and corneal opacity involves the cornea itself rather than producing a band beside it.
Reference: The Essentials of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 35th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.