Nonmydriatic Ocular Fundus Photography in the Emergency Department

Abstract

To the Editor: Examination of the ocular fundus is imperative in the diagnosis and treatment of many acute medical and neurologic conditions, but direct ophthalmoscopy is underused and difficult to perform without pharmacologic pupillary dilation.1,2 We believe that nonmydriatic ocular fundus photography (i.e., performed without pupillary dilation) represents a promising alternative to direct ophthalmoscopy, particularly in the emergency department, where limited training in ophthalmoscopy, increased demands on physicians' time, and underappreciation of the prognostic value of ocular fundus examination can place patients at risk for poor outcomes and expose their caregivers to medicolegal liability.1,3 The FOTO-ED (Fundus Photography . . .