Author: Dylan Luyten, MD

Educational Pearls:

• 1:500 patients will experience a retinal detachment
• Consider stroke on your differential (central retinal arterial occlusion)
• Flashes and floaters are a common complaint with retinal detachments
• Though patients may report fields of vision loss, visual acuity is often spared
• Ocular ultrasound is an effective way to diagnosis retinal detachment in the ED
• These require urgent ophthalmologic consultation for surgical repair

References:

https://www.aliem.com/2014/03/ocular-ultrasound-retinal-detachment-posterior-vitreous-detachment/

Gottlieb M, Holladay D, Peksa GD. Point-of-Care Ocular Ultrasound for the Diagnosis of Retinal Detachment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Acad Emerg Med. 2019 Jan 13. doi: 10.1111/acem.13682. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 30636351.

Summarized by Will Dewsipelaere, MS3 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD