The Acute eye injury CPG has been updated and reviewed by the CPG Committee and endorsed by the Paediatric Improvement Collaborative (December 2022). This CPG provides more detail on examination and providing adequate analgesia to aid examination, condition specific management such as management on corneal abrasions and foreign bodies and has an updated acute eye injury flowchart.  

CPG key points  

1. Consider a serious eye injury when a child presents with a painful eye or blurred vision 
2. Adequate analgesia will aid examination and procedural sedation may be required in the younger child 
3. Seek senior clinician or ophthalmology assistance early if eye assessment is proving difficult in the distressed child 
4. Chemical burns, especially alkali, need immediate irrigation 
5. If a penetrating eye injury is identified or suspected, stop examination, place an eye shield over the eye, keep nil by mouth and urgently refer to ophthalmology, see Penetrating eye injury