6.1.7 Manages patients presenting with red eye/s. Flashcards
3 Red Flag Symptoms:
- PAIN - NEVER A GOOD SIGN
- REDUCED VISUAL ACUITY - COULD MEAN CORNEAL INVOLVEMENT
- PHOTOPHOBIA - COULD MEAN CORNEAL INVOLVEMENT
Questions
- How did it happen? Trauma??
- Are you a contact lens wearer?
- Location - one or both eyes?
- Onset - When did it start?
- Frequency - Constant or intermittent? Noticed a pattern? Worse in morning or evening?
- Treatment - Have you done anything to alleviate?
- Severity - mild/moderate/severe? Sectoral?
- Associated symptoms - Any pain, itchiness, photophobia, discharge, blurred vision, diplopia, flashes or floaters
- Any allergies?
From an examination point of view, the following would be recommended:
- VAs - microbial keratitis might cause more redness
- Pupils - to rule out anterior uveitis, angle closure etc
- Motility - scleritis can cause ache or pain on eye movement
- IOPs - angle closure, viral infection, uveitis
- Slit lamp:
- Look at the pattern or distribution of the redness
- Carefully examine the conjunctiva, including lid eversion to view palpebral conjunctiva
- NaFl? - suspect dendrite or stromal opacities
- Van hericks
- Look for cells & flare - inflammation!
- Posterior examination
Differential Diagnosis:
- Adnexal Causes
- Trichiasis, distichiasis
- Floppy eyelid syndrome
- Entropion or Ectropion
- Blepharitis
- Dacryocystitis
Differential Diagnosis:
Conjunctival causes
- Bacterial
- Viral
- Allergic - Vernal, Atopic, Seasonal & Perennial
- GPC
- Chlamydial
Differential Diagnosis:
Other
- Subconjunctival haemhorrhage
- Foreign body
- Inflamed pinguecula
Corneal causes
- Keratitis
- Herpes Simplex
- Photokeratitis
- Microbial - bacterial, fungal, acanthamoeba, marginal
- Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus
- CLARE
Other causes
- Anterior uveitis
- Angle closure
- Episcleritis
- Scleritis
- Dry eye syndrome
- Trauma
TRICHIASIS: Description, causes, Signs+symptoms,Differential and Management
- DescriptionInward misdirection of eyelashes
- CausesTraumaLoss of eyelid elasticity - age
- Signs & SymptomsSigns - eyelashes inwards, often with blepharitis (chronic), pannus, corneal involevmentSxs - FB sensation, redness, itchiness, photophobia
- DifferentialEctropion, EntropionTrichiasis will literally have lashes growing the wrong way i.e. inwards but the lid won’t be that inverted unlike in entropion
- ManagementOcular lubricants - dependent on symptoms.Referral where vision is being affected, management may be:Electrolysis - inserting a fine needle into the lash root and passing an electrical or radiofrequency current through it, attempting to destroy the lash follicle.Cryosurgery - very cold then probe used to remove lashes
Prognosis: Good.
DISTICHIASIS : Description, causes, Signs+symptoms,Differential and Management
- DescriptionNew lashes grow in front of the orifices of the meibomian glands. May not cause any problems, but may give rise to trichiasis and corneal damage,
- CausesCongenital.
Acquired: blepharitis, MGD, chemical injuries, Steven-Johnson syndrome. - Signs & SymptomsSigns - Bleph, MGD, lash growthSxs - FB sensation, Redness, Photophobia, Itchiness, Watering, Chemosis
- DDEctropion, Entropion
- ManagementOcular lubricants - dependent on symptoms.Referral where vision is being affected, hospital management may be:
* Electrolysis
* Cryosurgery
Ectropian: Description, types, TESTS, management
- Ectropian
- Outward rotation of lid margin
- Types - Involutional (age related causing laxity), Cicatricial (scarring of skin), Paralytic (facial palsy i.e. Bell’s), Mechanical (tumour, lid swelling etc), Congenital (rare bilateral condition)
- TESTS:
-
Distraction test
- if lower lid can be pulled >6mm from globe, it is lax, positive test indicates canthal tendon laxity
-
Snap-back test
- with finger, pull lower lid down towards inferior orbital margin
release: lid should snap back
lid slow to return to its normal position: indicates poor orbicularis tone
- with finger, pull lower lid down towards inferior orbital margin
-
Management - less lid rubbing (induces laxity), drops, routine referral if severe
- Most patients undergo surgery to tighten the eyelid at the outer aspect of the eyelids (a lateral tarsal strip procedure)
Entropion: Description, types, TESTS, management
- Inward rotation of lid margin
- TESTS:
-
Distraction test
- if lower lid can be pulled >6mm from globe, it is lax, positive test indicates canthal tendon laxity
-
Snap-back test
- with finger, pull lower lid down towards inferior orbital margin
release: lid should snap back
lid slow to return to its normal position: indicates poor orbicularis tone
- with finger, pull lower lid down towards inferior orbital margin
-
Test of Induced Entropion (TIE-2 test)
- ask patient to look down
hold upper lid up as high as possible
ask patient to close the eyes as tightly as possible
The TIE-2 test is positive if this provokes an intermittent lower lid
entropion
- ask patient to look down
- Types - Involutional, Cicatricial (scarring & contraction of palp conj e.g. in chronic bleph), Spastic (random orbicularis contraction e.g. after surgery or blepharospasm), Congenital (rare)
-
Management - Lash epilation, Lubrication, routine referral if severe
- Lower lid everting sutures or lower lid retractor advancement with lateral tarsal strip (no sutures)
Dacryocystitis : Description, causes, Signs+symptoms,Differential and Management
- DescriptionInflammation of lacrimal sac
- CausesHistory of recurrent or chronic unilateral conjunctivitis
Previous acute dacryocystitis
Chronic nasolacrimal duct obstruction
Facial fracture
Foreign bodies (e.g. punctal or canalicular plugs)
BACTERIAL CONJUNCTIVITIS : Description, causes, Signs+symptoms,Differential and Management
- DescriptionStaphyloccocal or streptococcus infection of conjunctiva
- Causes
- Contamination
- Trauma
- Cl wear
- Secondary to Blepharitis, Diabetes, Steroids
- Signs & Sxs
- Lid crusting, Mucous discharge, Hyperaemia, Papillae
- General discomfort sxs of burning & gritiness
- DD
- Viral
- epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (e.g. adenovirus)
- Herpes simplexorHerpes zoster
- Chlamydial infection
- allergy
- angle closure glaucoma
- infective keratitis
- anterior uveitis
- ManagementOften resolves in 5-7 days no treatmentWipes, heated mask or flannel for crustingIf doesn’t resolve then topic chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops or 1% ointment for useChloramphenicol is for maximum of 5 days. Should become better after 2 days of using every 2 hours (drops), then drops can be used 4x/day for the next 3 days. Ointment used 4x/day for the 5 day period. Px then reviewed
VIRAL CONJUNCTIVITIS (adenoviral) : Description, causes, Signs+symptoms,Differential and Management
- DescriptionInflammation of conjunctiva due to viral transmission, through respiritory or ocular infections.
- CausesAdenovirusPossibily from low standards of hygiene, outbreaks in general population or even transmission in eye clinics via clinican fingers, tonometer prisms etc.
- Signs & Sxs
- Hyperaemia, Watering, Follicles (lower fornix!), Pseudomembrane, Punctate epitheliopathy leading to sub-epithelial lesions/infiltrates, Anterior Stromal involvment
- Photophobia, discomfort
- DD
- Management
- CLEAN EVERYTHING & USE GLOVES!
- Condition self-limiting, resolves within 1-2 weeks. Time should be taken off school or work. Px should not share towels!
- Cold compress & lubrication of relief
- Emergency - if conjunctivitis severe (e.g. presence of pseudomembrane) or if significant keratitis present (e.g. severe pain and/or visual loss)
- Swabs taken & steroids given