Question

During your assessment of a patient who experienced blunt facial trauma, you note the presence of a hyphema. This indicates:

A) Direct trauma to the eyeball
B) That the pupils are unequal
C) An orbital blowout fracture
D) A fracture of the nasal bone

Answer 1

A hyphema indicates direct trauma to the eyeball, representing bleeding in the anterior chamber of the eye, requiring immediate medical attention.

Step-by-step explanation:

The presence of a hyphema indicates A) direct trauma to the eyeball. A hyphema is a pooling or collection of blood inside the anterior chamber of the eye (the space between the cornea and the iris). This condition often results from injury to the eye itself and is indicative of blood vessels in the eye being damaged. The assessment of a patient with blunt facial trauma who shows signs of hyphema would require immediate medical attention to address potential vision problems and to manage the risk of increased intraocular pressure which can lead to glaucoma.