Emergency Management

Abstract

While the definition of an injury-related ophthalmic emergency may appear straightforward, in reality it is not so unambiguous: • A chemical insult is a clear case of emergency to both patient and ophthalmologist. • A welder’s photokeratitis is an absolute emergency to the patient, yet it may cause nothing but aggravation to an ophthalmologist who is awakened at night after a full day of work for such a non-sight-threatening and easily avoidable condition. • A full-thickness corneal wound with iris prolapse leads the ophthalmologist to at least consider an emergency intervention, although the patient does not necessarily understand the acute need for surgery. • Even ophthalmologists disagree among themselves whether conditions such as an IOFB or a retinal detachment truly require immediate surgery.