Managing corneal foreign body injuries in a primary eye care setting

Corneal foreign body removal is a common office-based procedure conducted by primary eye care practitioners globally. In Australia and New Zealand, optometry is a therapeutic profession capable of removing embedded corneal foreign bodies. In Australia, it has been estimated that ocular foreign bodies account for more than 44% of eye-related presentations to a hospital emergency department. Studies have shown that the majority of these patients can be effectively managed by the community optometrist, reducing the burden on hospital admissions. Regardless of the setting, the use of standardised terminology - recently expanded based on the IGATES recommendations, is essential when describing eye injuries. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the epidemiology, classification of trauma, assessment and removal procedure, tools involved and the post-removal therapeutic management of corneal foreign bodies. It reinforces the importance of the role of the primary eye care practitioner in the provision of accessible and timely care to patients with corneal foreign bodies.