Wood's Lamp Exam Is Not Sufficient to Rule Out Corneal Pathology

Slit lamp exam is considered the gold standard for diagnosing corneal and conjunctival pathology but is not available in all emergency departments, and some emergency physicians may feel undertrained in its use. More convenient and portable, a Wood's lamp is often used instead of slit lamp to evaluate ocular complaints.

Researchers prospectively enrolled 73 adult patients who presented to an ophthalmology practice with acute symptoms likely to have an anterior ocular source (red eye, pain, or foreign body sensation). After the patient received a drop of fluorescein, an ophthalmologist inspected the eye with a Wood's lamp and recorded the findings, then immediately performed a slit lamp exam, again recording the findings. Findings on Wood's l…