Unit 9: Red Eye
10: Episcleritis
Background
- Self-limiting
- Unknown aetiology
- 75% idiopathic and young adults
- Others:
- Collagen vascular disease
- Rosacea
- Gout
- Herpes zoster
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Thyroid disease
- Atopy
Symptoms
- Acute onset of grittiness
- Normal visual acuity or mild blurring
- Recurrent episodes
Source: EyeRounds.org. Contributor: William Charles Caccamise, Sr, MD, Retired Clinical Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.
Signs
- Localised redness of eye
- No discharge or corneal involvement
Investigation
- Exclude conjunctival or subtarsal foreign body
Source: EyeRounds.org. Contributor: William Charles Caccamise, Sr, MD, Retired Clinical Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.
Management
- Refer to ophthalmologist for:
- Exclusion of other disease
- anterior uveitis
- scleritis
- infection
- anterior uveitis
- Usually self-limiting but may require:
- Topical NSAID or steroids
- Oral NSAID
- Topical NSAID or steroids
