Pediatric ophthalmology inpatient consults at a tertiary care children's hospital

PURPOSE To analyze the pattern of pediatric ophthalmology inpatient consults at a single children's hospital over 5 years. METHODS The records of all pediatric ophthalmology consults over a 5-year period were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS A total of 1,805 new pediatric inpatient consultations were requested, most commonly for papilledema (14.18%), workup for unknown systemic disease (12.96%), and nonaccidental trauma (8.92%). In 50.86% of consults, an abnormal eye examination was found. When consulted for papilledema or nonaccidental trauma (NAT), we found a positivity rate of 26.56% and 27.95%, respectively. The most common ocular abnormalities noted were orbital/preseptal cellulitis (3.82%), optic disk edema (3.77%), and retinal hemorrhages (3.05%). Over the 5-year period, there was a significant increase in consults to rule out papilledema (P = 0.0001) and for trauma/nonaccidental trauma (P = 0.04) and a decrease in consults for workup of systemic disease (P = 0.03) and to rule out fungal endophthalmitis (P = 0.0007). CONCLUSIONS We found an abnormal eye examination in half of our consults. When consulted for papilledema or nonaccidental trauma (NAT), we found a positivity rate of 26.56% and 27.95%, respectively.