6.1.7 manages px presenting with red eye/s Flashcards
What does a red eye with no/mild pain indicate?
A self limiting condition, most commonly dry eye related, conjunctivitis, sub-conjunctival haemorrhage, episcleritis NB: although recurrent herpes simplex keratitis can be painless and sight threatening because it causes neuropathy of the cornea
What does a red eye with pain indicate?
A sight-threatening condition, important to differentially diagnose, corneal infection, acute anterior uveitis, acute angle closure glaucoma
For a red eye what kind of HS questioning would you do?
- laterality
- Onset of sx- acute, sub-acute, chronic
- Duration of sx- constant/intermittent
- Pain?- type (sharp, prickly, deep, throbbing), location, pain scale (1 (mild) - 10 (excruciating))
- Associated sensations?- itching, gritty, burning, hx of allergies
- Loss of vision? - severity, onset of lodd (sudden or gradual), haloes around lights, photophobia
- Hx of trauma?- cause of trauma (e.g. welding, gardening), any blunt trauma history to eye area
- Cl wear?- lens type, WT, disinfection routine, swimming/shower in lenses
- Discharge?- type (watery/sticky/with(out) pus/stringy), duration of discharge
- Previous Hx of similar- treated or resolved on its own?
What are all the possible investigations that could be done to get information on the cause of red eye?
- Slit lamp investigation with NaFl- VITAL
- VA’s
- Pupil size and reactions
- IOPs
- Fundus exam
- Others depend on H&S: motility, corneal sensitivity, lid eversion
What red eye conditions would cause nil/mild pain?
chalazion sub-conjunctival haemorrhage blepharitis allergic conjunctivitis ectropian episcleritis
What red eye conditions cause mild/mod pain?
hordeolum entropian trichiasis scleritis adenoviral conjunctivitis
What red eye conditions cause mod/severe pain?
Herpes simplex virus
Acute angle closure glaucoma
Acute anterior uveitis
What are the causes of entropian?
lid laxity changes, incease age, rarely scar tissue (cicatricial) cause e.g. burns, surgery, rheumatoid arthritis; congenital cauase is rare
What are the sx of entropian?
irritation, fb sensation, mild/mod pain, epiphora, lid spasm as lashes are rubbing on cornea
What are the signs of entropian?
inward directed lower lid (may be intermittent), irregular vertical cornea fb tracts caused by lashes shown on NaFl exam, can cause corneal scarring and/or pannus if left untreated
How do you manage entropian?
- surgical intervention often necessary (incision+tightening of muscles)
- speed of referral dependent on extent of corneal involvement
- temporary relief-lower lid may be taped with topical lubrication like thick visco tears
- discuss with px self-management treatments to alleviate sx
What are the cause of trichiasis?
eyelashes grow towards cornea
chronic blepharitis=scarred lids
-scar tissue from herpes zoster ophthalmica, trachoma (particularly in developing countries) or trauma
What are the sx of trichiasis?
same as entropian
irritation, fb sensation, mild/mod pain, epiphora, lid spasm as lashes are rubbing on cornea
What are the signs of trichiasis?
inward directed lashes, corneal trauma highlighted with NaFl, depending on duration- corneal scarring/pannus
How do you manage trichiasis?
- removal of lashes using fine tweezers- regrowth is 4-8 weeks and lashes grown more pointed and shorter so will continue to cause problem and will have to do it regularly
- topical lubricant can alleviate some sx
- Associated disorders need to be treated like blepharitis
- If particularly troublesome can refer for cryotherapy/electrolysis
What are the causes of ectropian?
laxity due to increase age, 7th nerve palsy, scarring
What are the sx of ectropian?
Similar to entropian- epiphora, soreness/irritation in the affected area, redness and keratinisation of the lid
What are the signs of ectropian?
lower lid is not appositional to eye (sagging), exposed lower palpebral conjunctiva, if you pulled on lid there is no springiness
How do you manage ectropian?
- refer for lid surgery
- ocular lubricants if significant portion of conjunctiva or cornea exposed in the meantime
What are the causes of chalazion?
- common and chronic lid lump, those with diabetic millitus and acne rosacea are more at risk
- chronic, granulomatous inflammatory lesion causes blockage of accessory tear glands
- Internal or external; internal (affects the meibomian gland (meibomian cyst)), external (affecting the gland of Zeis)
What are the sx of chalazion?
- Painless and slow growing lid lumo
- minimal redness
- no discharge (granulomatous immune response contains any infection)
What are the signs of chalazion?
- Firm mass extending outwards toward lid margin within tarsal plate
- may press on cornea which can cause a temporary change in prescription (irregular astigmatism)
How to manage a chalazion?
- Usually self limiting, resolution may take many weeks
- px self management: warm compress + gentle lid massage
- if persistent and causing px discomfort or visual problems, consider routine referral for surgical excision
What are the causes of hordeolum?
Acute staphylococcal infection of meibomian gland (internal or eyelash and Zeis or Moll glands (external)
What are the sx of hordeolum?
Acute red swelling in the last 24-48hrs. Tender, sore with pain on palpation (pain 2-6). May spontaneously express itself with (yellow) sticky discharge released
What are the signs of hordeolum?
Swollen, red and inflamed.
Yellow, sticky discharge- internal or through skin- pre-septal cellulitis may be present where the whole lid is red, tender and inflamed-IMPORTANT to distinguish between pre-septal cellulitis and much rarer orbital cellulitis