Common causes of red eye presenting in northern Iran.

AIM This study aimed to determine the causes of red eye disease among patients of Mazandaran-Northern Iran. METHODS This cross sectional study included 840 patients who referred to eye clinics with ocular complaints. A detailed history of patients was recorded and their eyes were examined. Then, pre designed checklists were completed by the researcher. RESULTS The most common cause of red eye was conjunctivitis - 30% (252/ 840), foreign bodies 23.2%, trauma including penetrating or blunt 8.6%, respectively. There was a significant relationship between the red eye trauma, with acute onset and duration of less than a week (P=<0.0001). Diagnoses of red eye were conjunctivitis in 31.3% of the cases separately, viral causes (19.5%), allergic (7%) and bacterial (4%), foreign bodies 22.9%, pterygium 7%, and trauma 6.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION In the current study, the most common causes of red eyes were conjunctivitis, foreign bodies, and trauma respectively. Red eye was more common in males than in females. An appropriate and proper training of risky factors of red eyes in the future could reduce the risk of serious visual problems.