Managing Trauma Flashcards
What is the most eye related ED visits?
- Traumatic injuries, Especially men (DIY, sports ect)
- Mainly, periorbital, corneal abrasions or foreign body
What are corneal abrasions?
Normally superficial defects in the epithelium of the cornea.
What can cause corneal abrasions?
- Trauma
- Sub-tarsal foreign body
- CL trauma (mainly damage by new users taking lens in and out)
- Trichiasis (eyelashes growing inwards)
What are predisposing factors of corneal abrasion?
- Corneal dystrophy
- Diabetes( fragile epithelium)
- Neurotrophic keratitis (loss of the sensory nerves in the cornea)
- Corneal exposure
What is an example of a corneal dystrophy?
Cogans dystrophy . This looks like a map -dot fingerprint.
What symptoms do you get with CA?
- Pain (the surface has millions of sensory neurons!)
- Photophobia (more of a light sensitivity, not like photophobia in uveitis)
- Blepharospasm
- Lacrimation
Why does it blepharospasm make it harder for us to see behind the slit lamp?
The eyes are more so closed.
What signs can we see with CA?
- Lid oedema
- Conjunctival hyperaemia (red eye)
- Corneal epithelial defect which we can see under white light
- Corneal oedema - because the epithelial is broken down oedema will manifest
- Visual loss - more central = more likely to impact.
- Possible mild AC inflammation ; cells and flare
What history do we take with CA?
- When
- What caused it?
- Associated symptoms
- Previous treatment
Why might we use topical anastetic?
To help with the blephaspasms. And help open the eye up, to do a white light and fluorescence slit lamp.
What do we need to evaluate using the SL?
- Size
- Location
- Depth
- IS there a FB?
- AC inflammation.
How can we manage a px with CA?
- Controlling pain
- Preventing secondary infection
- Facilitate healing.
Why might cycloplegics help with reducing pain?
It will stop ciliary spasm, which causes pain.
Should we patch or not for CA?
A review showed there was no diffrence between patching and not patching. In fact it hinders the px, as they lose steriopsis
How can we manage the pain with CA?
- Cycloplegia
- Bandage CL
- Lubricants
- Oral analgesia’s like paracetamol
- Topical NSAID (diclofenac sodium)
Should we be using NSAIDS for pain relief with CA?
A review showed there was not strong enough evidence to use NSAID, THUS using oral analgesia’s is more cost effective
How can we use antibiotics?
Small lesions, there is no need. However if larger we can use,
1. Chloramphenicol 0.5% drops or 1% ointment