A differential guide to 5 eye complaints

Fluorescein is used to examine the patient with a suspected abrasion to highlight the epithelial defect.¹ Visual acuity needs to be tested, and checked using a pinhole if it is below baseline.³⁷ Treatment protocols range from artificial tears to antibiotic drops or ointments. Topical steroids should be given to patients only by an ophthalmologist.⁴

Is patching necessary? In a systematic review comparing outcomes based on the use of patching vs not patching on the first day of injury, patients who were not given patches fared the same or better than those whose eyes were patched, both in terms of healing time and pain relief. Primary care physicians can treat most corneal abrasions, and symptoms typically resolve in 2 days.³⁸