You could just touch the fluorescein strip to the patient’s inner eyelid when trying to diagnose a corneal abrasion. But then you could cause a corneal abrasion, which is an ouroboros of terribleness from which there is no escape. So why don’t you try making a dropper instead, as detailed in the embedded PEMBLOG SHORTS video below. All you need is:
- one saline flush
- one angiocath
- one fluorescein strip
Read more about corneal abrasions in my PEMBlog Briefs post and this great review from Academic Life in Emergency Medicine.
Good post, Brad. Any thought on your “solution” (no pun intended) for the fluorescein shortage most of us are going through currently? We currently only use strips for direct eye trauma and Flucaine for general eye issues. May be something to advocate for in these lean times.
Thanks Tyler. Great point. Providers should check with local availability of supplies. Alas, here’s seems to be a shortage of “something” every week now.