Eye and Ear Conditions Quiz

Eye and Ear Conditions: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

• Conjunctivitis, commonly known as "pink eye," is self-limiting and typically worsens before improving, with children often experiencing symptoms in one eye, such as a stuck shut eye in the morning with yellow and purulent discharge.
• Bacterial conjunctivitis in children is often caused by Haemophilus influenzae, while in adults, it is typically due to Staphylococcus aureus.
• Treatment for children with bacterial conjunctivitis involves erythromycin drops, while adults may require ofloxacin or ciprofloxacin drops, with additional fluoroquinolones for gram-negative coverage in those with contact lenses, and steroid drops are to be avoided.
• Allergic conjunctivitis, common in 20-year-olds with seasonal hay fever, presents with red, itchy, and watery eyes and may be managed with cool compresses and antihistamine/vasoconstrictor drops.
• Orbital cellulitis, which affects the eye muscles and fat, often occurs in children with a history of surgery, and symptoms include pain with eye movement, ptosis, double vision, and fever, necessitating prompt diagnosis with CT or MRI with contrast and treatment referral to an ophthalmologist.
• Periorbital cellulitis, characterized by pain without moving the eye, is typically treated with outpatient amoxicillin-clavulanic acid or cephalosporin with bactrim, and it is important to differentiate it from orbital cellulitis.
• Vertigo in older women, potentially due to medications or alcohol, may be managed with the Epley maneuver, particularly if caused by benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).
• Glaucoma, including angle-closure and open-angle types, presents with various symptoms such as pupillary dilation, blurred vision, and increased intraocular pressure (IOP), and treatment involves referral to ophthalmology and the use of topical beta blockers and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors for IOP reduction.
• Diabetic retinopathy may manifest with microaneurysms, hard exudates, and retinal/macular edema, and its management involves controlling blood pressure, sugars, and lipids, as well as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections.
• Macular degeneration, more common in older white females, can be atrophic/dry or neovascular/wet, and treatment may include smoking cessation, a Mediterranean diet, antioxidants, visual assist devices, and intraocular injections of VEGF antagonists.
• Otitis externa, also known as swimmer's ear, often presents with erythema, edema, and pain when touching the outer ear, and treatment varies based on severity, ranging from petroleum jelly and NSAIDs to topical and oral fluoroquinolones.
• Acute otitis media, commonly seen in children