gms | German Medical Science

Purpose: To highlight the importance of emergency assessment of a patient with ocular trauma.

Method: Whenever confronted with ocular trauma patient life threatening injuries should be identified & must be addressed first. History about prior surgery, vision prior to the trauma and detailed history of traumatic incident is taken. Visual acuity evaluation, relative afferent pupillary defect evaluation, slit lamp evaluation without much manipulation & fundus examination if possible is carried out. The initial management of a traumatized patient comprises of the steps to minimize further trauma, minimize infectious risks, minimize psychological trauma and most importantly minimize legal problems. The designing of subsequent management plan is then individualized for the particular patient and injury.

Result: The complete assessment of a patient with ocular trauma help in planning of proper treatment strategy and in proper prognosis of a patient with ocular trauma. It also safeguard treating ophthalmologist against the medicolegal hurdles and hastles.

Conclusion: Proper and complete assessment of any patient with ocular trauma is the basic prerequisite for anatomical and visual rehabilitation of a patient with ocular trauma