27/11/2022
Abnormal ocular secretions
• lacrimation (tearing/welling up of tears on the ocular surface)
• epiphora (actual spilling of tears over the margin of the eyelid onto the face)
• dryness
• discharge (purulent, mucopurulent, mucoid, serous, or watery; the first 2 kinds of
discharge are associated with neutrophils and can cause true sealing of the eyelids
overnight)
Abnormal appearances
• ptosis (drooping of the eyelid)
• proptosis or exophthalmos (protrusion of the eye or eyes)
• enophthalmos (the opposite of proptosis)
• blepharitis
• misalignment of the eyes
• redness, other discolorations, opacities, masses
• anisocoria (asymmetric pupil size)
Other concerns
• “something my doctor wanted to be checked”
• the need for a second opinion regarding diagnosis, surgery, or other management
Trauma
Cases of ocular trauma in partic
ular can require very detailed reports based on a thor
-
ough history and examination, and important issues such as workers’ compensation,
disability, and medicolegal factors must be kept in mind.
• the date, time, and place (including the precise address) of the injury
• what happened, in the patient’s own words (particularly in the case of trauma, the
patient’s words are useful in the history of the present illness as well as in the chief
concern)
• what safety precautions were taken, if any, including the wearing of safety glasses
• what measures were taken for emergency treatment (treatment takes priority over
obtaining a history in a true emergency [see chapter 14], although the history remains important)
• the size, type, material composition, and roughly estimated speed of any foreign
body, and whether part or all of the object was recovered after the injury
• whether the vision has been affected
• tetanus immunity status
• time the patient last ate (in case the patient needs to be taken to the operating room
for surgical repair)
Some patients with ocular trauma may have suffered from intimate partner violence.
Screening questions are asked when the patient’s spouse is not at the bedside; referral to a social worker or alerting the emergency department physician may be lifesaving.
BS Optometry