Urgent Care Evaluation and Management of the Red Eye (Infectious Disease and Pharmacology CME)

Points & Pearls Excerpt

• Visual acuity is a vital sign in the setting of a red eye presentation. Test visual acuity in each eye individually and in both eyes together.
• Topical anesthetics may be needed to relieve sig-nificant irritation and allow for the eye examination. If topical analgesic does not provide adequate pain resolution, suspect a more serious condition (eg, iritis, keratitis, glaucoma).
• Possible diagnostic findings with fluorescein staining include: A superficial crisscross of mostly vertical line, which suggests a foreign body under the upper lid; eyelid eversion can confirm this diagnosis. (See Figure 2.)