A patient in the emergency department complains of severe pain in his eye and is seeing halos around lights and feeling nauseous.Which diagnosis should the nurse suspect?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The symptoms of severe eye pain, halos around lights, and nausea are characteristic of angle-closure glaucoma. This is a medical emergency which requires immediate treatment to prevent vision loss. Open-angle glaucoma is more slowly progressive and often asymptomatic. Cataracts typically cause a gradual loss of vision without pain or halos. Retinal detachment may cause vision loss and flashes of light, but not the specific symptoms described in this scenario.

A Patient in the Emergency Department Complains of Severe Pain