Ocular Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) to Detect Optic Disc Swelling in Comparison to Ophthalmologic Examination

Pediatric emergency department (PED) physicians frequently encounter children with symptoms that warrant evaluation of the optic disc for suspected increased intracranial pressure (ICP) such as headache, blurred vision, recurrent vomiting etc. Fundoscopic examination, by the PED physician, is considered an essential modality for assessment of the optic disc and the diagnosis of papilledema. Obtaining good visualization of the optic disc requires patient compliance, the ability to open the eyelids, the absence of opacities in the ocular media and a sufficiently large pupillary aperture. Hence, different levels of PED physician training, lack of cooperation, significant ocular or periorbital trauma, contraindications to mydriasis and severe photophobia may hinder direct fundoscopic evaluation.

In the investigators' PED, children requiring fundoscopy are sent to a formal ophthalmologic examination. The investigators aim to evaluate the yield of optic disc height as measured with ocular point of care ultrasound to detect optic disc swelling in comparison to ophthalmologic examination as the gold standard.