Ophthalmic Emergency

Ocular emergencies require immediate therapy if sight is to be preserved. In some instances the sight is not involved but urgent care is required to prevent obvious and permanent deformity of the ocular adnexae. All ocular emergencies are the direct or indirect result of trauma or vasomotor disturbances.

Central retinal artery and vein occlusions, chemical injuries, mechanical globe injuries, and retinal detachments are eye emergencies that can result in permanent vision loss if not treated urgently. Patients with a central retinal artery occlusion require urgent referral for stroke evaluation and should receive therapy to lower intraocular pressure and vasodilating agents to minimize retinal ischemia.

Chemical injuries require immediate irrigation of the eye to neutralize the pH of the ocular surface. A globe laceration or rupture is common in patients with a recent history of trauma from a blunt or penetrating object, needs surgical repair to restore anatomy and vision.