Red Eye Flashcards
BPAC / Health Pathways
Red flags for red eye
Significant pain
Photophobia
Reduced visual acuity
Unilateral presentation
Most cases of “red eye” seen in general practice are likely to be _______ or __________
Conjunctivitis or a superficial corneal injury
6 serious causes of red eye, which can result in visual loss (and should be discussed/referred with ophthalmology acutely)
Acute angle glaucoma
Iritis
Keratitis
Scleritis
Penetrating eye injury or embedded foreign body
Acid or alkali burn to the eye
What type of eye pain is typical of a serious problem?
Severe, constant, aching pain
Especially when associated photophobia
Sharp, brief, “gritty” eye pain indicates…
Surface irritation
Pain that resolves with local anaesthetic drops is usually due to…
Superficial disease, i.e. conjunctival or corneal
What is acute angle closure glaucoma
Occurs when there is an obstruction to drainage of aqueous humour from the eye, rapidly causing increased intraocular pressure
Acute angle closure glaucoma typically occurs in which patients?
Middle-aged to elderly
Hypermetropic (long-sighted) females
Patients of Asian ancestry
But can occur in any patient
Presenting features of acute angle closure glaucoma
Unilateral red eye
Deep achy pain
Drop in visual acuity
Halo around light sources
Unwell (nauseous, vomiting)
Signs of acute angle closure glaucoma
Ciliary injection
Fixed mid-dilated pupil
A generally hazy cornea
Decreased visual acuity
What is keratitis?
Inflammation of the corneal epithelium caused by infection (e.g. viral, bacteria, fungi or protozoa) or auto-immune processes (e.g. collagen vascular diseases)
Sight threatening
Microbial keratitis is usually precipitated by…
A change to normal corneal epithelial health e.g. by trauma, contact lens use, tear film and/or eyelid pathology.
Most common reason for ophthalmology admission to hospital
Infectious keratitis
Typical presentation keratitis
1 to 3 day acute hx
Initially with sharp pain, redness, and photophobia which progresses to severe pain and often decreasing vision
Signs of keratitis on exam
Severely red eye
Swollen eyelids
Mucopurulent discharge (hypopyon)
Corneal haze or any area of corneal opacity or thickening
Corneal infiltrate with a matching area of fluorescein staining over it
Management of keratitis
Dark glasses
Analgesia (oral or topical)
Remove contact lenses (keep to ?send for culture)
Call ophthalmology
What is iritis?
Inflammation of the iris that can be associated with other inflammatory disorders, e.g. ankylosing spondylitis, or occur as an isolated idiopathic condition
Iritis is also known as…
Anterior uveitis
Complications of iritis
Glaucoma
Cataract
Macular oedema
What conditions can iritis be associated with?
Autoimmune inflammatory and connective tissue disorders e.g., ankylosing spondylitis, RA, SLE, IBS
Granulomatous conditions e.g., sarcoidosis, TB
infections e.g., HIV, syphilis, Lyme disease, herpes.
Typical symptoms of iritis
Short hx (1-2 days) unilateral red eye + deep aching pain that is not relieved by topical anaesthetics
Significant light sensitivity
Conjunctival redness around the edge of the iris
Decreased vision
If someone has iritis are they likely to get it again?
Yes - for the first episode of uncomplicated iritis, about 20% will have a recurrence in their lifetime. It could be 20 years later
Typical signs on exam of iritis
Acutely inflamed red eye
Very small pupil, poorly reactive to light, sometimes distorted.
Hypopyon – a yellow fluid level at the bottom of the anterior chamber
Cornea usually clear, but may be cloudy
No discharge, inner lining of the eyelids not inflamed
Management iritis
Acute ophthalm referral - they oversee treatment but is usually steroid eye drops and dilating eye drops (to prevent the iris sticking to the lens)
History questions for red eye
Duration, nature and onset of sx
Dull, stabbing, throbbing or gritty pain?
One eye, both or sequential?
Exposure to chemicals or other irritants, foreign body or trauma
Photophobia
Changes to vision; reduction in acuity, haloes, other visual disturbances
Discharge from the eye; nature, volume and persistence
Past ocular hx
Occupational hx
Other sx suggesting systemic cause
What to ask in history of red eye about past ocular history?
Previous episodes?
Previous herpetic eye disease?
Previous eye surgery?
Contact lens use – hygiene practices?
What to ask in history of red eye about occupational history?
e.g. outdoor worker, metal fabricator, childcare worker
Exposure to chemicals, other irritants
Recent trauma to eye
What other sx should you ask about in history that might be suggestive of a systemic disease causing the red eye?
Recent or concurrent URTI
Skin and mucosal lesions
Muscular or skeletal pain
Joint stiffness
Genitourinary discharge, dysuria
Exam of red eye
Extent, location and nature of the redness
Any discharge? Is it purulent or clear?
Any evidence of hyphema or hypopyon?
Pupils - equal? Irregular shape? light reflex
Cornea opaque/hazy? Any localised corneal opacity representing a corneal infiltrate?
Look for foreign body incl under eyelids
Eyelids - normal position? complete closure? blepharitis? eyelashes inturned?
What is hyphema?
Blood in the anterior chamber
What is hypopyon?
Purulent exudate in the anterior chamber
Pattern of redness - conjunctival injection appears as…
A diffuse area of dilated blood vessels
Pattern of redness - ciliary injection appears as…
Injection in a ring-like pattern around the cornea
If the mechanism of injury and/or clinical signs suggest the possibility of a penetrating eye injury should you attempt eyelid eversion to look for foreign body?
No - contents of the eye may prolapse
What can fluorescein dye help you detect?
Corneal abrasions, ulcers and foreign bodies
Management of serious chemical eye injury
First priority = irrigation
Apply topical anaesthetic then irrigate with >500mL sterile water/normal saline until pH 7-8 and equal between both eyes
Then refer urgently to ophthalm
Management of acute angle closure glaucoma
Refer urgently to ophthalm
While waiting, the patient should lie flat with their face up, without a pillow. This may decrease the intraocular pressure by allowing the lens and iris to “sink” posteriorly, opening up the drainage angle.
What is herpes simplex keratitis
Reactivation of the herpes simplex type 1 virus (“cold sores”) can, in some people, result in ocular symptoms
Causes characteristic dendritic ulcers
Management herpes simplex keratitis
Refer ophthalm
Ocular anti-viral treatment is usually given (aciclovir 3% eye ointment)
Possible long term complications of herpes simplex keratitis
Corneal scarring and visual loss
Recurrences in herpes simplex keratitis
Recurrences (almost always in the same eye) are common and can occur many years after the previous episode
What is scleritis
Painful inflammation of the sclera that may also involve the cornea, adjacent episclera, and underlying uveal tract
What is scleritis often associated with?
Underlying systemic illness, e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, Wegener granulomatosis, SLE, vasculitis, inflammatory bowel disease.
Complications of scleritis
If untreated, can progress to damage eye structures and cause permanent vision loss
What is episcleritis
A local inflammation of the superficial layer between the sclera and conjunctiva.
Vision is unaffected
Majority not associated with underlying systemic disorder
Does episcleritis need treatment?
Usually self-limiting and resolves within ~ 3 weeks, but can recur.
Lubricating eye drops + NSAIDs
Consider scleritis if the symptoms worsen
Symptoms of scleritis
Severe aching pain in the involved eye (bilateral in 50% of cases), tending to develop over approximately 1 week.
Pain wakes the pt from sleep or prevents from going to sleep, may radiate to face or be exacerbated by eye movements
Symptoms of episcleritis
Irritation and mild pain only
Dilated superficial blood vessels in a localised area of the sclera
Localised tenderness
Signs on exam of scleritis/episcleritis
Redness of eyeball (not lids) - generalised or involving a sector
Eyelids are normal
Eye movements are normal, with no proptosis
Exam findings specific to scleritis (not episcleritis)
Vision can be blurred
Eye is usually severely red (either all over or in a sector of the eye), but may appear normal in posterior scleritis.
Dark areas of choroid visible through the sclera suggest necrotising scleritis – this form of scleritis needs urgent treatment and referral.
May be photophobia