Context

Eye problems account for approximately 6% of all attendances to an ED in the UK [1], with an incidence of 17.2 ophthalmological emergencies per 1000 population per year. Injuries account for nearly half of the total [2].

Although around two thirds [1,3] of all eye problems are managed solely by the ED many trainee’s receive little or no training in ophthalmic emergencies in their post [4].

This lack of knowledge is reflected by studies highlighting poor assessment and examination of patients with eye problems presenting to the ED. In one, a third of patients did not have their visual acuity tested [4] and in another, a fifth of histories and 59% of examinations were judged to be inadequate [5].

Finally, another study demonstrated that emergency nurse practitioners out-performed junior doctors in all aspects of eye assessment and diagnosis [6].

Learning bite

Although two thirds of all eye problems can be managed solely by the Emergency Physician, equipment and training are deficient and clinical assessment by junior doctors is poor.