EMS Protocol of the Week - Eye Injuries (Adult and Pediatric)

Another trauma protocol for you all this week, and this one…

is…

…a sight for sore eyes…? 

The approach to eye injuries, like all other trauma protocols, is built around ABCs and transport. Specific considerations for the eye run in parallel to those for abdominal injuries: if the eye’s out, don’t put it back in, and if there’s something sticking out of it, just stabilize it rather than try to remove it. Otherwise, irrigation is the primary intervention CFRs and EMTs have in their arsenal. Paramedics, you may be interested to learn, do in fact have topical anesthetics (proparacaine or tetracaine) that they can give to assist with transport, but again, they will otherwise be focused on bringing the patients to your capable hands.  

Protocols, protocols everywhere! As far as the…eye…can see! Okay I’m done. www.nycremsco.org and the protocol binder for more.

Dave