Frequency of certain urgent eye problems in an emergency room in Massachusetts

The frequency and cost of emergency room care for certain ocular problems was surveyed. Superficial eye problems accounted for 2.67 percent of patients reporting to the emergency room, while 0.23 percent reported for penetrating injuries. Of the conditions surveyed, conjunctivitis was the most commonly presenting diagnosis. Abrasions and superficial foreign bodies were the next most common presentations. Together these three diagnoses accounted for nearly 75 percent of all superficial eye problems seen in the emergency room. The cost of each emergency room visit averaged $132. This study has implications for health care managers and for legislatures contemplating expanding the scope of optometric practice.