Context

Eye problems account for approximately 6% of all attendances to an ED in the UK [1,2] with an incidence of 17.2 ophthalmological emergencies per 1000 population per year. Injuries account for nearly half of the total. [3]

Although around two thirds [2,4] of all eye problems are managed solely by the ED many trainees receive little or no training in ophthalmic emergencies in their post. [5]

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 [5] and in another, a fifth of histories and 59% of examinations were judged to be inadequate. [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.