To the delight of children and adults alike, Halloween is rapidly approaching. However, this particular holiday makes ophthalmologists tremble with terror, knowing this time of year brings them a new wave of costume-related eye injuries. With the help of a custom-made ophthalmology EHR, ophthalmologists can effectively diagnose and treat the frightening eye injuries that could lead to infection and blindness if left untreated.

Doctors warn adults and teens of the hazards of wearing special effects non-prescription contact lenses as a means to enhance their costumes. A wide variety of lenses are available in costume shops and online that turn human eyes into that of a cat, vampire, zombie or a lizard and come in a multitude of different colors and iris or pupil shapes. Contact lenses not fitted by an optometrist pose the risk of causing abrasions on the cornea, which lead to ulcers and infections. The excruciating pain caused by a poorly fitting lens is usually enough to drive the wearer to the eye doctor.

PrognoCIS’ specialized ophthalmology EHR templates come equipped to address common contact lens-related problems. The eye-oriented SOAP note template collects patient data such as details of the Chief Complaint and the History of Present Illness.  Objective information can be entered using the exam templates designed for a variety of complaints and conditions – the most common for contact lens wearers being corneal abrasions and conjunctivitis. The clinical decision support feature of the EHR provides an image library and probable diagnoses based on symptoms, along with alerts for drug interactions and past/present medical conditions that could be a contributing factor to the patient’s vision problems.  From the diagnosis, the decision support suggests an evidence-based treatment plan for the condition.

Referral letter templates are included in the EHR so patients can see an optometrist to get properly fitted contact lenses appropriate for the shape and size of their eye and shown how to take care of them. To maintain eye care treatment, the patient portal allows patients to schedule follow-up appointments with the ophthalmologist for treatment progress monitoring, as well as set reminders for other doctors’ appointments. The portal also serves as an educational tool where patients can look up information on their medical conditions and communicate with the doctor, staff and other patients.