Problems in the organization of emergency ophthalmic care

Worldwide, millions of people need emergency ophthalmologic care due to eye injuries, acute inflammatory diseases, sudden visual disturbances and other emergency conditions. Shortage of specialists, insufficiently equipped medical institutions and uneven distribution of ophthalmologic care create significant problems in its availability, especially in low-income regions.

Purpose of the study: to investigate the organization and problems of emergency ophthalmic care in the world.

Materials and Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using PubMed, eLibrary, and Google Scholar databases covering the topics of ophthalmic emergency care, disease prevalence, new technologies, and shortages of specialists. Articles published between 2014 and 2024 in Russian, English and Kazakh were selected. Three experts independently analyzed the articles, and WHO data were used to analyze trends. The quality of articles was assessed using international checklists.

Results. Ophthalmologic emergencies vary worldwide, common diagnoses include ocular trauma, conjunctivitis, and corneal trauma. Ocular trauma, especially non-penetrating corneal trauma, foreign bodies and chemical burns were frequently reported in studies conducted in the US, Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan. In addition, demographic factors such as age, gender, and region influenced the frequency of visits, with males and those living in rural areas more likely to seek emergency care. Eye trauma remains the leading cause of hospitalization in several countries.

Conclusions. Emergency ophthalmologic care worldwide shows variations in conditions, age, gender, and regions. Eye trauma, conjunctivitis and corneal injuries are common. Critical issues include staffing, equipment shortages, and the need for better training and access to care to better respond to emergencies.

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