The red eye - first aid at the primary level
Journal Title: The Community Eye Health Journal - Year 2005, Vol 18, Issue 53
Abstract
The red eye forms a big proportion of the eye problems seen in most eye clinics in developing countries. For example, in the Bawku Hospital eye unit, Ghana, in 2004 a total of 21,391 patients were seen as outpatients, out of which 8,931 were red eyes of one type or another, representing over 40% of the total number of patients screened. The majority of red eyes are seen at community clinics and health centres, where diagnosis and management are done by community health nurses, primary eye care workers and ophthalmic nurses. It is for this reason that adequate attention should be given to the prevention, early diagnosis and first aid management of these conditions. The common causes of acute red eye are conjunctivitis and trachoma, corneal ulcer, acute iritis, acute glaucoma and injury (or trauma). Red eye may also be due to the use of harmful traditional medicines for other eye conditions. This article deals mainly with first aid (primary level) management of red eye, which is not due to an injury.
Authors and Affiliations
Isaac Baba
Keywords
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