Abstract
A red eye is the cardinal sign of ocular inflammation, and is one of the most common ophthalmological complaints. Inflammation of almost any part of the eye, including the lacrimal glands and eyelids, or a faulty tear film, can lead to a red eye. The condition is usually benign, self-limiting and can be managed effectively in general practice. While there may be numerous causes of a red eye, conjunctivitis is the most common. A thorough patient history and physical examination of the eye are essential in the management of a red eye when differentiating between an allergic and an infectious cause.
Highlights
A red eye is caused by the dilation of blood vessels in the eye, and is one of the most common ocular complaints experienced by patients.[1,2]
Numerous conditions may be associated with a red eye, including conjunctivitis, blepharitis, corneal injury, episcleritis, iritis, keratitis, and a bacterial or viral infection.[1]
Viral conjunctivitis caused by the adenovirus is highly contagious, whereas conjunctivitis caused by the other viruses is less likely to spread.[2]
Summary
A red eye is caused by the dilation of blood vessels in the eye, and is one of the most common ocular complaints experienced by patients.[1,2] The diagnosis of a red eye may be aided by the differentiation between ciliary and conjunctival injection or redness: Ciliary injection involves branches of the anterior ciliary arteries, and indicates inflammation of the cornea, iris or ciliary body Conjunctival injection mainly affects the posterior conjunctival blood vessels Since these vessels are more superficial than the ciliary arteries, they produce more pronounced redness. The focus of this article is to differentiate between an infectious or an allergic cause of a red eye
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