Retinal Detachment Diagnosed by Bedside Ultrasound in the Emergency Department

Abstract

This case study describes a patient who presented with vague visual complaints in the right eye, decreased visual acuity in the affected eye, and a difficult initial eye evaluation, including fundoscopic and slit lamp examinations, in the emergency department (ED). The preliminary finding included a darkened-appearing area of the retina on fundoscopic exam. The patient subsequently had bedside sonography of the eyes done by an emergency medicine (EM) intern which revealed a thin and serpentine strip appearing as a hyperechoic representation of the retina floating freely into the vitreous from the superior-lateral section of the posterior globe.