Acute Red Eye

Question 1

Where do the acute red eye diseases tend to affect the eye?

Answer 1

Anterior segment of the eye

Question 2

What are some important questions to ask when taking a history in a case of red eye?

Answer 2

• Pain? (type - itch / throb / stabbing)
• Discharge? (purulent / watery / mucoid)
• Photophobia?
• Flashing lights / floaters?
• Blurred vision?
• Redness (distribution / degree)

Question 3

What exam is commonly used to test visual acuity?

Answer 3

Snellen chart test

cover one eye from 6m away and read the letters

Question 4

What is a Fluorescein eye stain?

Answer 4

A test that uses orange dye and a blue light to detect foreign bodies in the eye. Can also detect corneal damage

(put dye on to strip, then tap the strip on the eye so the dye moves on to it, then put under blue light)

Question 5

What is infective conjunctivitis? Symptoms / Signs?

Answer 5

• Infection of the conjunctiva, often starts in one eye and spreads to the other
• Gritty pain
• Redness of eye
• Discharge (purulent or watery)

Question 6

Treatment of infective conjuctivitis?

Answer 6

Topical antibiotics

Question 7

Symptoms and signs of allergic conjunctivitis?

Answer 7

• Itchy
• Red
• Discharge (mucoid / watery)
• Acute
• Eyelid swelling
• Chemosis (conjunctival swelling)

Question 8

Treatment of allergic conjunctivitis?

Answer 8

• Topical antihistamine
• Avoidance of allergens
• Mast cell stabilizers

Question 9

What is corneal abrasion?

Answer 9

Superficial scratch of the cornea

Question 10

Symptoms and signs of corneal abrasion?

Answer 10

• Pain (gritty / stabbing)
• Watering
• Blurred vision
• Epithelial defect
• +/- redness

Question 11

Treatment for corneal abrasions?

Answer 11

• Topical antibiotics
• Analgesia
• Most heal within a day or two

Question 12

What is Acute Anterior Uveitis?

Answer 12

Inflammation of the iris and ciliary body

Question 13

What is the uvea of the eye?

Answer 13

The middle layer, beneath the sclera

• Made up of the iris, ciliary body and choroid

Question 14

Symptoms and signs of acute anterior uveitis?

Answer 14

• Pain
• Watery discharge
• Photophobia
• Redness
• +/- Blurred vision / floaters
• Lymphocytes in anterior chamber (fluorescein)
• Hypopyon (WBC rich exudate in ant. chamber)
• Small irregular pupil

Question 15

Treatment of acute anterior uveitis?

Answer 15

• Topical steroids

- Dilating drops

Question 16

Symptoms and signs of scleritis?

Answer 16

• Pain (severe)
• Redness (esp. visibility of deep scleral vessels)
• Nodule
• Tenderness (severe)

Question 17

Treatment of scleritis?

Answer 17

SYSTEMIC steroids

Question 18

What is acute angle closure glaucoma?

Answer 18

When the flow of aqueous humour out of the eye is disrupted causing a significant increase in intraocular pressure

Question 19

Symptoms of acute angle closure glaucoma?

Answer 19

• Pain (severe)
• Redness
• Blurred vision
• Nausea and vomiting
• Hazy cornea
• Fixed mid dilated pupil
• Hard eyeball

Question 20

Treatment of acute angle closure glaucoma?

Answer 20

• Lower intraocular pressure (laser / eyedrops / surgery)

- Constrict pupil

Question 21

What is orbital cellulitis?

Answer 21

Inflammation of the orbital tissues (soft tissues / fat)

Question 22

Types of orbital cellulitis?

Answer 22

• Diffuse
• Orbital abscess (tissues posterior to eye)
• Subperiosteal abscess (below the eye)
• Cavernous sinus thrombosis

Question 23

Symptoms and signs of orbital cellulitis?

Answer 23

• Pain (severe)
• Redness
• Blurred vision
• Diplopia
• Malaise
• Pyrexia
• Proptosis
• Reduction in eye movement

Question 24

Treatment of orbital cellulitis?

Answer 24

• Admit to hospital
• IV antibiotics
• CT scan
• Drainage of pus