| Clinical Assessment
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Disposition
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- Floaters and/or flashes with “red flag” sign of acute Retinal Detachment
- Monocular visual field loss (“curtain of darkness”)
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- Same-day (immediate) referral to retinal surgeon (minutes may matter)
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- New-onset floaters and/or flashes with high-risk features:
- Subjective or objective visual reduction examination
- Vitreous hemorrhage or vitreous pigment on slitlamp examination
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- Same-day referral to ophthalmologist or retinal surgeon
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- New-onset floaters and/or flashes without high-risk features
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- Referral to ophthalmologist within 1 to 2 weeks
- Counsel patient regarding high-risk features
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- Recently diagnosed uncomplicated posterior vitreous detachment with
- New shower of floaters
- New subjective visual reduction
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- Rereferral to ophthalmologist to rule out new retinal tear or detachment
- Contact ophtho to help determine urgency
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- Stable symptoms of floaters and/or flashes for several weeks to months, not particularly bothersome to the patient and without high-risk features
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- Elective referral to ophthalmologist
- Counsel patient regarding high-risk features that should prompt urgent reassessment
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