Basic ophthalmology for the primary healthcare practitioner: the red eye

Abstract

The red eye is the most common ocular complaint in patients seeking medical assistance at primary healthcare level. The differential diagnosis of the red eye varies from relatively innocuous and trivial conditions to those that are more devastating and potentially blinding. The purpose of this article is to help identify certain key clinical features of the discussed conditions, to help avoid pitfalls in diagnosis and to convey appropriate treatment modalities.