ENA Ocular Emergencies Study Guide 2026 | Emergency Nursing Eye
Care & Exam Prep
A patient presents to triage complaining of a sudden, complete loss of vision in his left eye. He
denies any injury and rates his pain as 0 on a scale of 0 to 10. Which ocular emergency should
you suspect?
A. Acute angle-closure glaucoma
B. Central retinal artery occlusion
C. Retinal detachment
D. Hyphemia - ANS ✔✔B. Central retinal artery occlusion
A patient presents with blunt trauma from being struck in the right eye by a baseball. The nurse
notes a vitreous hemorrhage. Which intervention is most appropriate?
A. Administer analgesic eye drops.
B. Maintain the patient in a supine position.
C. Assist with intraocular pressure measurement.
D. Place a protective shield over the affected eye and patch the unaffected eye. - ANS ✔✔D.
Place a protective shield over the affected eye and patch the unaffected eye.
In a patient with an ocular chemical burn, visual acuity should be assessed after which activity
has been performed?
A. Evaluation by an ophthalmologist
B. Copious irrigation
C. Application of bilateral eye patches
D. Administration of ophthalmic antibiotic ointment - ANS ✔✔B. Copious irrigation
Which assessment finding differentiates orbital cellulitis from periorbital cellulitis?
A. Fever
, B. Pain
C. Impaired extraocular movement
D. Decreased vision - ANS ✔✔C. Impaired extraocular movement
Which ocular emergency requires the most emergent management?
A. Radiation burn
B. Chemical burn
C. Acute angle-closure glaucoma
D. Central retinal artery occlusion - ANS ✔✔B. Chemical burn
In a patient who presents with an orbital fracture and entrapment, which assessment finding is
expected?
A. Pupil constriction in the affected eye
B. Hearing loss and tinnitus
C. Facial spasms
D. Limited upward gaze in the affected eye - ANS ✔✔D. Limited upward gaze in the affected eye
Measurement of intraocular pressure by tonometry is most helpful in identifying which
disorder?
A. Hyphema
B. Retinal detachment
C. Glaucoma
D. Iritis - ANS ✔✔C. Glaucoma
Which disorder causes blood in the anterior chamber of the eye?
A. Glaucoma
B. Hordeolum
Care & Exam Prep
A patient presents to triage complaining of a sudden, complete loss of vision in his left eye. He
denies any injury and rates his pain as 0 on a scale of 0 to 10. Which ocular emergency should
you suspect?
A. Acute angle-closure glaucoma
B. Central retinal artery occlusion
C. Retinal detachment
D. Hyphemia - ANS ✔✔B. Central retinal artery occlusion
A patient presents with blunt trauma from being struck in the right eye by a baseball. The nurse
notes a vitreous hemorrhage. Which intervention is most appropriate?
A. Administer analgesic eye drops.
B. Maintain the patient in a supine position.
C. Assist with intraocular pressure measurement.
D. Place a protective shield over the affected eye and patch the unaffected eye. - ANS ✔✔D.
Place a protective shield over the affected eye and patch the unaffected eye.
In a patient with an ocular chemical burn, visual acuity should be assessed after which activity
has been performed?
A. Evaluation by an ophthalmologist
B. Copious irrigation
C. Application of bilateral eye patches
D. Administration of ophthalmic antibiotic ointment - ANS ✔✔B. Copious irrigation
Which assessment finding differentiates orbital cellulitis from periorbital cellulitis?
A. Fever
, B. Pain
C. Impaired extraocular movement
D. Decreased vision - ANS ✔✔C. Impaired extraocular movement
Which ocular emergency requires the most emergent management?
A. Radiation burn
B. Chemical burn
C. Acute angle-closure glaucoma
D. Central retinal artery occlusion - ANS ✔✔B. Chemical burn
In a patient who presents with an orbital fracture and entrapment, which assessment finding is
expected?
A. Pupil constriction in the affected eye
B. Hearing loss and tinnitus
C. Facial spasms
D. Limited upward gaze in the affected eye - ANS ✔✔D. Limited upward gaze in the affected eye
Measurement of intraocular pressure by tonometry is most helpful in identifying which
disorder?
A. Hyphema
B. Retinal detachment
C. Glaucoma
D. Iritis - ANS ✔✔C. Glaucoma
Which disorder causes blood in the anterior chamber of the eye?
A. Glaucoma
B. Hordeolum
