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Ocular Chemical Burns

Jonathan Tsui, MD Reviewed 06/2022
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Chemical exposure to the eye can result in rapid, devastating, and permanent damage and is one of the true emergencies in ophthalmology.

    • Alkali burns: more severe. Alkaline compounds ...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Pain, photophobia, blurred vision, and foreign body sensation

  • Chemical involved, duration of exposure, velocity of impact, and involved area

  • In alkali burns, can have initial pain that ...

TREATMENT

Copious irrigation and removal of corneal or conjunctival foreign bodies are always the initial treatment and paramount to minimizing long-term sequelae (1,2,3,4)[A]: 
  • Passively open patient...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

  • Depending on severity of ocular injury

    • From daily to weekly visits initially

  • May be inpatient if concern for non-compliance or pediatric

  • If on mann...

REFERENCES

1
Sharma  N, Kaur  M, Agarwal  T, et al. Treatment of acute ocular chemical burns. Surv Ophthalmol.  2018;63(2):214–235. [View Abstract on OvidMedline] ...

SEE ALSO

Burns 

CODES

ICD10

  • T26.50XA Corrosion of unsp eyelid and periocular area, init encntr

  • T26.60XA Corrosion of cornea and conjunctival sac, unsp eye, init

  • S05.00XA Inj conjunctiva and corneal abrasion w/o fb, unsp...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Prompt irrigation of all chemical burns, with any available nontoxic fluid on scene,even prior to arrival to the emergency department, is essential to ensure the best outcomes.

  • All pati...

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