history and examination

Last reviewed 01/2018

History:

• when did the symptoms begin?
• was there a precipitant: pollen? dust? trauma?
• is the eye sore or itchy?
• is there a discharge?

Examination:

• is there a site of marked conjunctival injection - if the injection is most marked around the cornea, this suggests a corneal ulcer. Conjunctivitis usually has peripheral conjunctival injection.

Other features of the examination include:

• testing visual acuity
• assessing pupillary reactions
• fundoscopy
• testing the red reflex
• eversion of the eyelid to look for foreign body or pus
• usually by ophthalmologist - staining of cornea with fluoresceine to demonstrate corneal ulcer