#EMConf: Red Eye Pearls

Subconjunctival Hemorrhage should be painless - in the setting of trauma, patient should be stained and ruled out for globe rupture. 

Conjunctivitis should be painless

  • if it is painful, rethink your differential. 
  • if lasting 7 days or longer, follow up with ophthalmology for evaluation for epidemic keratoconjunctivitis. 

Red Eye + Pain = fluorescein stain - rule out corneal abrasion and keratitis (bacterial v. viral v. non-infectious). 

Vessels moving with Q-tip may point you toward episcleritis/ scleritis. 

Uveitis is an important diagnosis as it causes 25% of blindness in the U.S.A.