Abstract

Ophthalmic emergencies are a significant portion of emergency department (ED) visits. Most of these visits are non-urgent and manageable at the primary care level. In Saudi Arabia, limited national data exist on the presentation patterns of ocular emergencies and the confidence of ED physicians in managing these cases. This systematic review aimed to examine the presentation patterns of ophthalmic emergencies and the level of management confidence of emergency healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia. A systematic review was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, including original articles published between 2010 and 2025, conducted in Saudi Arabia, on ophthalmic emergency presentations or healthcare providers’ confidence. Electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) were searched. Eight studies were included in the review. Included studies showed that the most common ophthalmic presentations to EDs include conjunctivitis, corneal abrasions, dry eye, and ocular foreign bodies. A large proportion of cases were non-emergent, with many referred unnecessarily to tertiary care centers. Confidence of emergency physicians was low, with only 14.9% reporting confidence in managing ocular emergencies, due to limited training and restricted access to ophthalmologic tools.

Key words: Ophthalmic emergencies, Emergency department, Saudi Arabia, management confidence, systematic review