POCUS for the Eye

Author: William Wilson, Gokul Sagar Bailur / Editor: Sarah Edwards / Codes: / Published: 22/09/2025

A 68-year-old man arrives at the emergency department (ED) due to sudden, painless vision loss in his right eye. He reports a gradually worsening “dark curtain” effect starting from the upper part of his vision, now covering a large area. Over the past few weeks, he has also had occasional floaters and flashes of light in the same eye.

His medical history includes well-controlled hypertension, with no previous eye problems.

On Examination Findings:

– Vital signs are normal. 

– The left eye appears normal, with intact vision, 6/6.

– The right eye shows severely diminished vision, only able to count fingers at one foot. 

– Pupils are equal in size and responsive to light. 

– Eye movements are unrestricted and pain-free. 

– The anterior segment of the right eye shows no abnormalities (no redness, swelling, or discharge).