Red Eye Flashcards
What three basic steps should you do as a pharmacist to assess someones eye?
- inspect the eye
- check for visual acuity
- Check pupil reactions
What is conjunctivitis? What symptoms are mainly associated with it?
inflammation of the conjunctiva
- redness, irritation, grittiness, itching, discharge
What questions would you ask a pt if they present with a red eye?
discharge present visual changes pain/discomfort location of the redness duration photophobia other symptoms
What are the symptoms of bacterial conjunctivitis?
- Both eyes are affect but one is often affect first by 24-48 hours
- Discharge is purulent
- Gritting feeling
- Redness is generalised and diffuse
What are the symptoms of viral conjunctivitis?
- Both eyes are affected
- watery eyes
- gritty feeling
- generalised redness
- cough and cold symptoms
What are the symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis?
- both eyes are affected
- watery
- itching
- generalised redness but greater in fornices
- rhinitis
What is subconjunctival haemorrhage? How does it occur?
What tx can be used?
rupture of blood vessel so the whole eye appears red and can be caused by coughing, straining, lifting
no tx, will resolve within 10-14 days
What is episcleritis? What would the eye look like?
tx?
inflammation of the sclera
only part of the eye is red - dull ache
no tx, will resolve in 2-3 weeks
What is keratitis? Why can it occur?
inflammation of the cornea
administration of long term steroids, soft-contact lenses and trauma
What symptoms are present with acute closed angle glaucoma?
unilateral eye pain, headache on the same side as the painful eye, vision blurred, halos, vomiting can occur with the red eye
what is scleritis? What symptoms are associated with it?
inflammation of the sclera - comes about if a pt has autoimmune disorders
severe pain especially with eye movement
When would you refer a pt with conjunctivitis? (Part1)
painful red eye - true pain redness extends to the iris photophobia vision is affected dry eye syndrome pt is using eye drops/eye ointments already contact lens wearers suspected foreign body
what general advice would you give pts?
use lukewarm water to remove discharge tissues used to wipe eyes should be thrown immediately avoid wearing contact lenses wash hands regularly Avoid sharing pillows
What tx would you give to someone suffering from allergic conjunctivitis?
sodium cromoglicate, lodoxamide, antazoline, symapthomimetics
What tx would you give viral conjunctivitis?
wash avoids etc
what tx would you give for bacterial conjunctivitis?
chloramphenicol
propamidine and dibromopropamidine isethionate (brolene)
What is the age restrictions and side effects for chloramphenicol and propamidine?
C: >2 years, local burning and stinging
P: >12 years, blurred vision
what is the recommended dose used of chloramphenicol eye drops and ointment?
one drop every 2 hours for the first 48 hours then reduce to four times a day for a maximum of 5 days tx
ointment: 1cm of ointment at night tds/qds
How often should brolene and golden eye drops be used for?
one or two drops up to QDS
ointment: only at night once or twice daily
no improvement within 2 days - referral
When to refer pts with conjuncitvis? (part 2)
pupil looks unusual - glaucoma eye looks cloudy symptoms persisting more than 2 weeks eye surgery/laser tx etc no improvement within 48 hours cloudy eyes foreign body suspected pts or family hx of bone marrow problem
When to refer? (part 3:
Bf/P eye inflammation associated with rash on scalp or face conjunctivitis in the recent past contact lens wearer eye or head injury pupil looks unusual symptoms longer than 2 weeks
