Blunt ocular trauma.

The emergency medicine physician is encouraged to perform a brief eye history and examination on patients presenting with not only ocular but also multisystem trauma. Obviously, life-threatening conditions take precedence, but it is important to give attention to the ocular area once the patient is stabilized. The minor injuries can be treated initially in the emergency room and referred to an ophthalmologist for follow-up care. If, however, the emergency medicine physician has any doubts as to the nature or severity of the injury, appropriate ophthalmologic consultation should be sought. It is hoped that by taking a rational approach to blunt ocular trauma, as outlined in this article, the emergency medicine physician can provide emergency eye care in a confident and thorough manner.