A school-age child is hit in the face with a baseball bat and reports pain in one eye. The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner is able to see a dark red fluid level between the cornea and iris on gross examination, but the child resists any exam with a light. Which action is correct?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A dark red fluid level in the eye after trauma is indicative of hyphema, which is a medical emergency requiring immediate referral to an ophthalmologist. Anesthetic eyedrops should not be used as they can mask symptoms and delay appropriate treatment. Administering an oral analgesic may be appropriate but is not the priority in this situation. Applying a Fox shield and reevaluating in 24 hours is not appropriate as there is a risk of increased intraocular pressure causing further damage.

A School-Age Child Is Hit in the Face with a Baseball