During a physical education class, a student is hit in the eye with the end of a baseball bat. When examined in the emergency department, the nurse notices the presence of blood in the anterior chamber of the eye. What does this finding indicate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Hyphema is the term for blood in the anterior chamber and is a serious result of blunt trauma (a fist or a baseball) or spontaneous hemorrhage and may indicate scleral rupture or major intraocular trauma. Hypopyon is the term for lager of white blood cells in the anterior chamber and often cause pain, red eye, and possibly decreased vision. Pterygium is the term for a triangular opaque wing of bulbar conjunctive overgrows toward the center of the cornea. It looks membranous, translucent, and yellow to white. A corneal abrasion is the term for damage or removal of the top layer of corneal epithelium, usually a result of scratches or poorly fitting or overworn contact lenses. The person with a corneal abrasion usually feels intense pain; a foreign body sensation; and lacrimation, redness, and photophobia. The presence of blood in the anterior chamber that this patient has is hyphema.

During a Physical Education Class, a Student Is Hit in the Eye