eye disorders
Eye Redness
Evaluation of Eye Redness
Not every case of eye redness requires evaluation by a doctor. The following information can help people decide when to see a doctor and to know what to expect during an evaluation. In most cases, people with eye redness can be evaluated by a general health care practitioner rather than an ophthalmologist (a medical doctor who specializes in the evaluation and treatment—surgical and nonsurgical—of eye disorders). In people with eye redness, certain symptoms and characteristics are cause for concern. They include Sudden, severe pain and vomiting Rash on the face, particularly around the eyes or on the tip of the nose Decreased sharpness of vision (visual acuity) An open sore on the cornea Deep Eye Pain should be distinguished from irritation. People who have warning signs, particularly deep pain or a change in vision, should see a doctor right away. If no warning signs are present, it is safe to wait a couple of days or so, but people may want to see a doctor sooner so that they can start treatment quickly. Doctors first ask questions about the person's symptoms and medical history and then do a physical examination. What they find during the history and physical examination often suggests a cause of eye redness and the tests that may need to be done (see table). Doctors ask How long redness has been present Whether redness has occurred before Whether there is pain or itching Whether there is discharge or the eyes are tearing Whether there is a change in vision Whether there has been an eye injury Whether the person wears contact lenses and whether they have been overused Whether the person has been exposed to substances (such as dust or eye drops) that could irritate the eyes Whether there are other symptoms (such as headache, halos around lights, runny nose, cough, or sore throat) Whether the person has allergies Pain together with nausea or vomiting or halos around lights is a potentially serious combination of symptoms. These symptoms often occur in Types of glaucoma . Pain and sensitivity to light may indicate a disorder of the cornea, such as a scratch or foreign object. An absence of pain and sensitivity to light may indicate a disorder of the conjunctiva. During the physical examination, doctors examine the head and neck for signs of disorders that may cause eye redness, such as runny nose and cough that may indicate an upper respiratory infection or allergy or a rash that may indicate Shingles (herpes zoster infection). The eye examination is the most important part of the physical examination. Doctors check the person's eye and the area around the eye for injuries or swelling. They check the person's vision (with glasses or contacts if the person wears them), pupil size and response to a light, and eye movement. Doctors use a What Is a Slit Lamp? (a high-magnification instrument) to examine the eye. Doctors put a drop of anesthetic and then a drop of If pain develops in the affected eye (particularly if it is shut at this time) when a light is shined in the unaffected eye, the problem may be Uveitis or a corneal disorder. The use of an anesthetic makes the examination easier, and the person's response to the anesthetic may be a clue to the diagnosis. Anesthetic eye drops do not relieve pain that is caused by glaucoma, uveitis, or scleritis. Testing is usually unnecessary. If doctors suspect a viral infection (herpes simplex virus or varicella-zoster virus), they may take samples of discharge or blister fluid to send to the laboratory. The sample is placed in a culture medium (a substance that allows bacteria or viruses to grow). Samples for culture may also be taken when the person has a corneal ulcer so doctors can give antibiotics that are most likely to be effective. Gonioscopy (use of a special lens to examine the drainage channels in the eye) is done in people with glaucoma. Sometimes people with Uveitis are tested for autoimmune disorders, especially if there is no obvious cause (such as an injury) for the uveitis. People with Scleritis are usually referred to an ophthalmologist, who often does additional tests. 