Glaucoma, cataracts, retinal disease, acute red eye, visual loss, and ophthalmic emergencies.
Acute angle-closure glaucoma is an ophthalmological emergency caused by sudden obstruction of aqueous outflow, presenting with severe eye pain, reduced vision, haloes, and a semi-dilated fixed pupil, requiring immediate IOP reduction.
Acute red eye is a common presentation requiring systematic differentiation between benign conditions such as conjunctivitis and sight-threatening emergencies including acute angle-closure glaucoma, anterior uveitis, and keratitis.
Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of sight impairment in the UK, classified as dry (90%) or wet (10%), with anti-VEGF injections transforming outcomes for wet AMD.
Anterior uveitis (iritis) is the most common form of uveitis, presenting with a painful red eye, photophobia, and ciliary flush, associated with HLA-B27 conditions and requiring topical steroids and cycloplegics.
Cataracts are the most common cause of treatable blindness worldwide, caused by opacification of the lens, presenting with gradual painless visual loss and managed surgically with phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation.
Conjunctivitis is inflammation of the conjunctiva, classified as bacterial, viral, or allergic, and is the most common cause of acute red eye, usually self-limiting with treatment required primarily for bacterial and allergic types.
Corneal abrasion is a traumatic defect of the corneal epithelium, one of the most common eye injuries presenting to emergency departments, typically self-healing within 24-72 hours with appropriate management.
A corneal ulcer (microbial keratitis) is an infection of the corneal stroma representing an ophthalmic emergency, most commonly caused by bacterial infection in contact lens wearers, requiring urgent assessment and intensive topical antibiotic therapy.
Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults in the UK, classified as non-proliferative or proliferative, with the NHS Diabetic Eye Screening Programme enabling early detection and treatment.
Dry eye disease (keratoconjunctivitis sicca) is a multifactorial condition of tear film instability and ocular surface inflammation, affecting up to 30% of the population over 50, causing chronic discomfort and visual disturbance.
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a large-vessel granulomatous vasculitis affecting branches of the external carotid artery, representing an ophthalmic emergency due to the risk of irreversible bilateral blindness.
Glaucoma is a group of progressive optic neuropathies characterised by retinal ganglion cell loss and characteristic optic disc changes, with raised intraocular pressure being the most important modifiable risk factor.
Optic neuritis is an inflammatory demyelinating condition of the optic nerve, most commonly associated with multiple sclerosis, presenting with acute unilateral visual loss and pain on eye movement.
Orbital cellulitis is a sight-threatening and potentially life-threatening infection of the tissues posterior to the orbital septum, most commonly arising from bacterial sinusitis, requiring urgent IV antibiotics and ophthalmology assessment.
Papilloedema is bilateral optic disc swelling secondary to raised intracranial pressure, representing a medical emergency requiring urgent investigation to identify the underlying cause.
Periorbital (preseptal) cellulitis is infection of the eyelid and periorbital tissues anterior to the orbital septum, far more common and less dangerous than orbital cellulitis but requiring careful assessment to exclude posterior septal involvement.
Posterior uveitis involves inflammation of the retina and/or choroid, commonly caused by toxoplasmosis, CMV, sarcoidosis, and tuberculosis, presenting with floaters, blurred vision, and potentially severe visual loss.
Central retinal artery occlusion is an ophthalmological emergency causing sudden painless monocular visual loss, equivalent to a stroke, requiring urgent assessment for embolic source and consideration of giant cell arteritis.
Retinal detachment is a sight-threatening emergency where the neurosensory retina separates from the retinal pigment epithelium, presenting with flashes, floaters, and a visual field defect progressing to visual loss if the macula detaches.
Retinal vein occlusion is the second most common retinal vascular disease after diabetic retinopathy, classified as central (CRVO) or branch (BRVO), presenting with sudden painless visual loss and managed with anti-VEGF for macular oedema.