Sociodemographic and ocular factors associated with glaucoma emergency room care: A retrospective analysis from an eye emergency room

Abstract: PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe demographic factors and clinical characteristics associated with eye emergency room (ER) visits resulting in glaucoma care referral. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included all patients seen at the Wills Eye ER from October 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021, who were referred for glaucoma care. Demographic data were collected. Blindness in one or both eyes was defined as best-corrected visual acuity ≤20/200. RESULTS: Seven thousand four hundred and thirty-eight patients presented to the ER during the study period, and 192 (2.6%) were referred for glaucoma care. Of the 108 patients who provided ophthalmic history, 76 (70.4%) patients (40.8% unilaterally blind and 5.3% bilaterally blind) received a new diagnosis of definite or suspected glaucoma in the ER. 43 of 192 (22.4%) patients required urgent glaucoma procedural intervention after the ER visit; 28 (65.1%) were given a new diagnosis of definite or suspected glaucoma in the ER. 31 of 192 (16.2%) patients were uninsured; they were more likely to be younger in age (54.4 ± 14.5 years vs. 61.8 ± 15.7 years; P = 0.016) and to speak a primary language other than English (16.1% vs. 5.6%; P = 0.042) as compared to insured patients. CONCLUSION: Over 6 months during the pandemic era, glaucoma represented a small subset of ER visits but resulted in a new diagnosis of definite or suspected glaucoma in the majority of cases, of whom 46.1% were unilaterally or bilaterally blind. Almost two-thirds of those with a new diagnosis required an urgent glaucoma procedural intervention after the ER visit.