Eye pain
Eye pain: Excerpt from Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)
Eye pain may be described as a burning, throbbing, aching, or stabbing sensation in or around the eye. It may also be characterized as a foreign-body sensation. This sign varies from mild to severe; its duration and exact location provide clues to the causative disorder.
Eye pain usually results from corneal abrasion, but it may also be due to glaucoma or other eye disorders, trauma, and neurologic or systemic disorders. Any of these may stimulate nerve endings in the cornea or external eye, producing pain.
Emergency interventions
If the patient's eye pain results from a chemical burn, remove contact lenses, if present, and irrigate the eye with at least 1 L of normal saline solution over 10 minutes. Evert the lids and wipe the fornices with a cotton-tipped applicator to remove any particles or chemicals. Eye pain from acute angle-closure glaucoma is an ocular emergency requiring immediate intervention to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP). If drug treatment doesn't reduce IOP, the patient will need laser iridotomy or surgical peripheral iridectomy to save his vision.
History and physical examination
If the patient's eye pain doesn't result from a chemical burn, take a complete history. Have the patient describe the pain fully. Is it an ache or a sharp pain? How long does it last? Is it accompanied by burning, itching, or discharge? Find out when it began. Is it worse in the morning or late in the evening? Ask about recent trauma or surgery, especially if the patient complains of sudden, severe pain. Does he have headaches? If so, find out how often and at what time of day they occur.
Pictures
Book Source Details
- Book Title: Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)
- Author(s): Springhouse
- Year of Publication: 2006
- Copyright Details: Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition), Copyright © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
More About Dry Eye
More Medical Textbooks Online about Dry Eye
Review other book chapters online related to Dry Eye:
Medical Books Excerpts
- EYE PAIN
- "Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs" (2003)
- [ read ]
- Red Eye
- "In a Page: Signs and Symptoms" (2004)
- [ read ]
- EYE PAIN
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
- RED EYE
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Eye pain
- "Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Red Eye
- "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
- [ read ]
- Red Eye
- "Field Guide to Bedside Diagnosis" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Eye pain
- "Alarming Signs and Symptoms: Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice Series" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Eye pain
- "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Red Eye
- "The Diagnostic Approach to Symptoms and Signs in Pediatrics" (2006)
- [ read ]
- EYE PAIN
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
- RED EYE
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.
» Next page: Eye pain [Ophthalmalgia] (Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition))
Rate This Website
What do you think about the features of this website?
Take our user survey and have your say:
Website User Survey
Medical Tools & Articles:
Next articles:
Tools & Services:
Medical Articles:
Forums & Message Boards
- Ask or answer a question at the Boards:
