CET feedback: Trauma interactive

This exercise looked at the responsibility of practice staff in the management of a patient walk-in who reported an eye problem subsequent to recent trauma. The scenario discussed was as follows:

A patient with a recent history of blunt trauma attends practice at 5.30pm, just after the registered professional has left for the day. Only support staff are available at the front desk. They note the following:

The questions for discussion were:

There were essentially two parts to this discussion. Firstly, there was sufficient information to suggest the underlying cause of the problem. Photophobia and discomfort should always raise the possibility of anterior uveitis, though corneal damage could not be ruled out. The description of the redness was not that of a subconjunctival haemorrhage, another common consequence of trauma. Whether corneal or, more likely, anterior uveitis, immediate intervention is important here to address the discomfort and minimise any further damage to the anterior structures. So staff would need to be alerted to the need for emergency referral to an eye clinic.