Diagnosing a red eye: an allergy or an infection?
Keywords:
red eye, allergy, infection, inflammation, conjunctivitis, viral, bacterial
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.
Section
Review Articles
By submitting manuscripts to SAFP, authors of original articles are assigning copyright to the South African Academy of Family Physicians. Copyright of review articles are assigned to the Publisher, Medpharm Publications (Pty) Ltd, unless otherwise specified. Authors may use their own work after publication without written permission, provided they acknowledge the original source. Individuals and academic institutions may freely copy and distribute articles published in SAFP for educational and research purposes without obtaining permission.
