Nonmydriatic Ocular Fundus Imaging on Consecutive Patients Seeking Treatment at a General Emergency Department with Vision Symptoms.
Nonmydriatic imaging found relevant abnormalities in 64.2% of symptomatic emergency patients.
Nonmydriatic Ocular Fundus Imaging on Consecutive Patients Seeking Treatment at a General Emergency Department with Vision Symptoms.
Visits to emergency departments (emergency departments) for vision symptoms are common, especially where access to eye care may be limited.
Adult patients seeking treatment at our general emergency departments with any vision symptom who underwent NMFP-OCT in our emergency departments from August 24, 2024, through September 8, 2024.
Of 1838 emergency departments visits over 16 days and nights, 182 patients (9.9%) reported vision symptoms; 162 patients (89%) underwent NMFP-OCT in the emergency departments.
Eighty-two of 162 patients (50.6%) also underwent an in-person emergency departments examination by an ophthalmologist.
Ocular imaging was ordered for vision loss (n = 51 [31.5%]), other visual changes (n = 13 [8.0%]), papilledema or rule out papilledema (n = 60 [37.0%]), painless red eye (n = 7 [4.3%]), eye or orbital pain (n = 28 [17.3%]), and diplopia (n = 3 [1.9%]).
Given that 10% of all emergency departments visits were for vision symptoms, having NMFP--OCT available in our emergency departments allowed for rapid and reliable diagnosis of ocular emergencies mostly involving the posterior segment, thereby facilitating rapid remote triage and treatment.
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.