Management of Conjunctivitis

The clinical term “red eye” is used to describe a variety of distinct ocular diseases that can be infectious or noninfectious in etiology. Conjunctivitis (an inflammation of the conjunctiva) is the most common cause of red eye, accounting for 2% of ambulatory care visits [1]. The inflammation involves the lids and the bulbar and palpebral conjunctiva and is usually readily apparent on physical examination. As patients with conjunctivitis will often initially present to their family physician, it is important that the primary care physician understand the differential diagnosis and management of a patient who presents with a red eye. While many causes of a red eye are benign and may be easily treated in the primary care setting, some are potentially vision-threatening and require urgent ophthalmologic assessment. This paper presents 4 cases and discussion to assist the primary care physician in the management of common causes of conjunctivitis.