Daytime presentations to a metropolitan ophthalmic emergency department

To determine the diagnoses causing patients to present to a dedicated ophthalmic emergency department. To detect associations with patient demographics.

A retrospective review of all presentations to the Sydney Eye Hospital Emergency Department between 08:00 and 17:00 hours from 1 January to 31 December 2001 was conducted. Data were analysed for frequency of diagnoses and patient demographics.

A total of 10 599 patients presented to the emergency department on 16 870 occasions. On average, 46 patients were seen daily. Men accounted for 57.7% and women for 42.3% of presentations. The five commonest reasons for presentation were conjunctivitis, keratitis, cataract, corneal abrasion and iridocyclitis.

Ocular surface and anterior segment diagnoses are predominant among emergency presentations. Statistically significant associations exist between sex and selected diagnoses, and between age and almost all of the commonest diagnoses. The emergency department functions as a primary care provider with most patients discharged following initial consultation.