ASSESSMENT OF OCULAR TRAUMA ASSOCIATED WITH HEAD AND NECK INJURIES

We reviewed the real and potential ocular problems in all head and nec k injuries at a tertiary care and regional trauma center from April of 1994 to March of 1995. Through a retrospective study, 127 charts were reviewed, specifically looking at the mechanism of injury, types of i njury, whether there was any ocular trauma noted in the chart, and whe ther there was a consultation to the ophthalmology department. Forty-o ne of these patients were seen by an ophthalmologist as the initial co nsultant for ocular and orbital injuries recognized by the emergency s taff. In the 86 remaining patients, signs of potential ocular injury w ere recorded in the chart in 62 (72%) of these patients, yet an ophtha lmology consultation was requested for only 23 of them (37%). This sur vey reveals the lack of awareness in a regional trauma center of certa in ocular and periocular signs that may be indicative of more serious ocular injuries. It is the purpose of this article to highlight these concerns to the various health professionals involved with head and ne ck trauma patients in the hope that the patients will, in the end, ben efit from a more thorough and complete assessment of the potential ocu lar and periocular injuries.