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                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1

                       [HUGHES & LUCE, L.L.P. LETTERHEAD]



                              September 27, 1995


Quest Medical, Inc.
One Allentown Parkway
Allen, Texas 75002

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have acted as counsel to Quest Medical, Inc., a Texas corporation
(the "Company"), in connection with the registration under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), of 2,600,000 shares of the Company's common
stock, par value $0.05 per share ("Common Stock"), by the Company and by
William Borkan, Burt Borkan and John Gula (the "Selling Shareholders"), and the
sale by the Company of up to 390,000 additional shares of Common Stock subject
to an over-allotment option to be granted to the Underwriters, pursuant to a
Registration Statement on Form SB-2 (the "Registration Statement") filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") (all 2,990,000 of
such shares of Common Stock, the "Shares").

         In connection with this opinion, we have examined such documents and
records of the Company and such statutes, regulations, and other instruments
and certificates as we have deemed necessary or advisable for the purposes of
this opinion.  We have assumed that all signatures on all documents presented
to us are genuine, that all documents submitted to us as originals are accurate
and complete, and that all documents submitted to us as copies are true and
correct copies of the originals thereof.  We have also relied upon such
certificates of public officials, corporate agents, and officers of the Company
and the Selling Shareholders to the extent necessary or advisable with respect
to the accuracy of material factual matters contained therein which were not
independently established.

         Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares being
sold by the Company and the Selling Shareholders, when sold to the Underwriters
as described in the Registration Statement, will be validly issued, fully paid,
and nonassessable.

         This opinion may be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
Consent is also given to the reference to this firm as having passed on the
validity of the Shares under the caption "Legal Matters" in the prospectus
contained in the Registration Statement.  In giving this consent, we do not
admit that we are included in the category of persons whose consent is required
under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission
promulgated thereunder.

                                        Very truly yours,



                                        /s/ HUGHES & LUCE, L.L.P.

