conjuctivitis

Question 1

what are the clinical features of conjuctivitis?

Answer 1

• Acute onset conjunctival erythema.
• Discomfort which may be described as ‘grittiness’, ‘foreign body’ or ‘burning’
sensation.
• Watering and discharge which may cause
transient blurring of vision.

Question 2

what are the red flags of conjuctivitis?

Answer 2

• Reduced visual clarity e.g. blurred vision
• Marked eye pain, headache or photophobia
• Red sticky eye in a neonate (within 30 days of birth)
• History of trauma (mechanical, chemical or ultraviolet) or possible foreign body
• Copious rapidly progressive discharge
• Infection with a herpes virus
• Soft contact lens use with corneal symptoms (such as photophobia and watering)
• Unilateral red eye
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Question 3

what is the lifestyle advice for conjuctivitis?

Answer 3

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water
• Using separate towels and flannels
• Avoiding close contact with others especially if they are a healthcare professional or child
care provider – they may be infectious for up to 14 days from onset

Question 4

what should you tell a patient to do to manage conjuctivitis?

Answer 4

• Reassure the person that most cases of acute, infectious conjunctivitis are self-limiting and do not require antimicrobial treatment — viral conjunctivitis usually resolves within one to two weeks without treatment
• Advise the person that symptoms may be eased with self-care measures such as:
• Bathing/cleaning the eyelids with cotton wool soaked in sterile saline or boiled and cooled
water to remove any discharge
• Cool compresses applied gently around the eye area
• Use of lubricating drops or artificial tears

Question 5

what are the drug treatment options for conjuctivitis?

Answer 5

Chloramphenicol 0.5% drops & Chloramphenicol 1% ointment

Question 6

what should you tell a patient if they have dry eyes?

Answer 6

treat with lubricant drops?

Question 7

how should you treat blepharitis?

Answer 7

ed and itchy sore eyelids – cotton bud and warm water to remove any grittiness or crust from the eyelids

Question 8

how should we tell a patient to treat Subconjunctival haemorrhage –?

Answer 8

bleeding blood vessel under the conjunctiva – harmless

and resolves within two weeks