Approach to Red Eye for Primary Care Practitioners

A red eye is a common presenting complaint in the primary care setting. Redness of the eye indicates the presence of ocular inflammation, and most commonly represents benign conditions that can be readily treated by the primary care provider. However, there are emergent conditions that can present as a red eye. Primary care providers must readily recognize the danger signs that indicate these more serious ophthalmologic conditions that warrant immediate referral to an ophthalmologist.