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The profile of patients attending a triaged eye emergency service
1Ophthalmology Department, Galway University Hospital, Galway, Ireland, gpvartsakis@gmail.com.
Background:
Galway University Hospital provides a 24-h referral eye emergency service for patients triaged by a primary health network.
Aims:
A prospective study was designed to evaluate the profile of patients referred to the eye emergency service and an attempt was made to compare the data recorded to those of a walk-in eye casualty.
Methods:
All cases seen in Galway University Hospital eye emergency service over five consecutive weeks in 2012 were recorded and analyzed.
Results:
Four hundred and eight cases were seen in total. 312 (76.5 %) were seen during normal working hours and 96 (23.5 %) after-hours. 33.3 % of cases were inflammatory and 31.9 % traumatic. Anterior uveitis [39 cases (9.6 %)] and corneal abrasion [37 cases (9.1 %)] were the most common diagnosis, while bacterial keratitis [9 cases (2.2 %)] and globe rupture/penetration [4 cases (1 %)] were the most serious. 85.6 % of patients were seen within 30 h from referral. A&E department was the main referral source (35 % of cases seen during normal hours and 70.8 % of those seen after-hours). 42.5 % of patients needed to be followed-up in the clinics. Seventy-two patients (17.6 %) were seen after 5 pm, Monday to Monday. Twenty-one were traumatic, 4 required admission and only 9 were deemed inappropriate after assessment.
Conclusions:
Serious eye pathology presents after normal working hours. The triage process results in lower number of minor complaints being referred to the service. Compared to a walk-in casualty, a triaged service manages greater percentage of complex pathology.
