A man, aged 31 years, presented with a five-day history of worsening sore throat and a mixed macular–vesicular rash on his hands.

As Australia continues to grow in population and the population ages, pre-emptive steps to maintain general practice as the core of the healthcare system need to be taken.

The aim of this paper is to provide GPs with a practical, evidence-based guide for first-line assessment and management of common ophthalmic trauma.