Photophobia and Red Eye

Author: Rohan Shankarghatta / Editor: Nick Tilbury / Codes: OptC5, SLO1, SLO2 / Published: 13/01/2025

A 40-year-old female with a history of hypertension and diabetes presents to the Emergency Department (ED) with an acutely painful, red left eye for the past 48 hours. She complains of severe left eye pain, blurring of her vision and finds the bright lights in the room uncomfortable. Her hypertension and diabetes are well controlled. Her medication history includes losartan and metformin.

On examination you note a red left eye with some conjunctival injection with reduced visual acuity of 6/12. Right eye appears normal with visual acuity of 6/6. You also note a small yellow blister on the lateral aspect of her lower lip. Fluorescein staining reveals a dendritic ulcer on the cornea.

• BP of 135/83
• HR 82
• RR 15
• Temperature 37.4