title: Managing corneal foreign bodies in office-based general practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with a corneal foreign body may first present to their general practitioner (GP). Safe and efficacious management of these presentations avoids sight-threatening and eye-threatening complications. Removal of a simple, superficial foreign body without a slit lamp is within The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners' (RACGP's) curriculum and scope of practice. Knowing the rele-vant procedural skills and indications for referral is equally important.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this article is to provide an evidence-based and expert-based guide to the management of corneal foreign bodies in the GP's office.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  History is key to identifying patient characteristics and mechanisms of ocular injury that are red flags for referral. Examination tech-niques and methods of superficial foreign body removal without a slit lamp are outlined, as well as the procedural threshold for referral to an ophthalmologist.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fraenkel
authors.forename: Lawrence R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Graham A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D002983:Clinical Competence; D065306:Corneal Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D004518:Education, Professional, Retraining / Q000379:methods*; D005129:Eye Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009819:Office Visits; D010808:Physical Examination; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000193:education*