eMedicine Specialties > Ophthalmology > Ophthalmology for the General Practitioner

Red Eye Evaluation: Treatment & Medication

Author: Gino A Farina, MD, Program Director, Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Coauthor(s): Gregory I Mazarin, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Consulting Staff, St Vincent's Midtown, North Shore University Hospital
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Jul 30, 2009

Treatment

Medical Care

  • The key of management is making the correct diagnosis in a timely fashion. Many conditions such as corneal ulcer, iritis, endophthalmitis, and others are emergencies and need prompt ophthalmologic consultation.3
  • Uncomplicated cases of blepharitis, conjunctivitis, foreign bodies, and subconjunctival hemorrhage may be managed by the primary care physician.4,5,6,7
  • The remaining diseases require ophthalmologic consultation within an appropriate time period. Corneal ulcers, iritis, endophthalmitis, penetrating foreign bodies, and others must be seen immediately.
  • All patients with acute changes in vision require immediate consultation.
  • Primary care physicians should refrain from treating any patients with steroids without consultation.
  • Specific treatment for each of these conditions is beyond the scope of this article.

Medication

The appropriate medications are determined once the underlying disease process of red eye is ascertained.

More on Red Eye Evaluation

Overview: Red Eye Evaluation
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Red Eye Evaluation
Treatment & Medication: Red Eye Evaluation
Follow-up: Red Eye Evaluation
References
Further Reading
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References

  1. Aslam TM, Tan SZ, Dhillon B. Iris recognition in the presence of ocular disease. J R Soc Interface. May 6 2009;6(34):489-93. [Medline].

  2. Moore JE, Graham JE, Goodall EA, Dartt DA, Leccisotti A, McGilligan VE, et al. Concordance between common dry eye diagnostic tests. Br J Ophthalmol. Jan 2009;93(1):66-72. [Medline].

  3. Kunimoto DY, Kanitkar KD, Makar M. The Wills Eye Manual: Office and Emergency Room Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Disease. 2008.

  4. Pavan-Langston D. Manual of Ocular Diagnosis and Therapy. 5th ed. 2007.

  5. Fujishima H, Fukagawa K, Takano Y, Tanaka M, Okamoto S, Miyazaki D, et al. Comparison of Efficacy of Bromfenac Sodium 0.1% Ophthalmic Solution and Fluorometholone 0.02% Ophthalmic Suspension for the Treatment of Allergic Conjunctivitis. J Ocul Pharmacol Ther. Apr 6 2009;[Medline].

  6. Calderón M, Brandt T. Treatment of grass pollen allergy: focus on a standardized grass allergen extract - Grazax. Ther Clin Risk Manag. Dec 2008;4(6):1255-60. [Medline].

  7. Torkildsen GL, Gomes P, Welch D, Gopalan G, Srinivasan S. Evaluation of desloratadine on conjunctival allergen challenge-induced ocular symptoms. Clin Exp Allergy. Mar 5 2009;[Medline].

  8. Kanski JJ. Clinical Ophthalmology: A Systematic Approach. 5th ed. 2003.

  9. Vaughan D, Asbury T, Riordan-Eva P. General Ophthalmology. 16th ed. 2003.

  10. Webb LA. Eye Emergencies: Diagnosis and Management. 2004.

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Keywords

red eye evaluation, red eye, eye redness, ocular inflammation

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Gino A Farina, MD, Program Director, Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Gino A Farina, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Gregory I Mazarin, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Consulting Staff, St Vincent's Midtown, North Shore University Hospital
Gregory I Mazarin, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Kilbourn Gordon III, MD, FACEP, Urgent Care Physician
Kilbourn Gordon III, MD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology and Wilderness Medical Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Simon K Law, MD, PharmD, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute; Chief of Section of Ophthalmology Surgical Services, Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare Center, West Los Angeles
Simon K Law, MD, PharmD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Glaucoma Society, and Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

J James Rowsey, MD, Former Director of Corneal Services, St Luke's Cataract and Laser Institute, Florida
J James Rowsey, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Medical Association, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Florida Medical Association, Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology, Sigma Xi, and Southern Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Lance L Brown, OD, MD, Ophthalmologist, Affiliated With Freeman Hospital and St John's Hospital, Regional Eye Center, Joplin, Missouri
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Hampton Roy Sr, MD, Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Hampton Roy Sr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American College of Surgeons, and Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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