Contemporary features of the etiopathogenetic treatment of patients with red eye syndrome

Abstract

Relevance: Red eye syndrome encompasses various diseases with conjunctival vessel injection as the leading symptom. Its sudden onset often indicates ocular infection, necessitating prompt diagnosis and expert care. Objective: To determine contemporary features of the etiopathogenetic treatment of patients with red eye syndrome. Materials and methods: The examination included 28 women and 21 men with red eye syndrome, with an average age of 44.5±7.9 years. All patients underwent standard ophthalmic examination, bacteriological examination (conjunctival swab), virological (PCR tear test), serological (IgM and IgG to herpes virus I, II, III types), Schirmer`s and Norn test. Results: The infectious nature of red eye syndrome was confirmed by bacteriological and virological studies in 43 patients (24 - showed herpetic etiology, 6 had noninfectious causes, mainly linked to ophthalmo-rosacea). Treatment involved dietary adjustments, eyelid hygiene, preservative-free artificial tears and dermatological examination. Trigeminal neuralgia was observed in nearly 69.4% of patients, indicating nasociliary neuralgia syndrome characterized by unilateral pain in the nose wing, periorbital area, and forehead skin. Treatment included Gabapentin and B-group vitamins to alleviate pain. Trigeminal neuralgia was present in all cases with confirmed herpetic etiology, alongside symptoms like decreased corneal sensitivity and dendritic keratitis. Patients received topical antiviral agents prescribed by specialists and antibiotic treatment based on microbiota examination results. Acanthamoeba keratitis was diagnosed in patients using contact correction after swimming, evident from a corneal ring infiltrate. In conclusion, patient evaluation for red eye syndrome should include trigeminal neuralgia assessment, serological examination for viral immune response, and dry eye symptom assessment. Etiopathogenetic treatment and artificial tears significantly improved the condition of 43 patients and led to clinical recovery. Conclusions: Patients with red eye syndrome should undergo evaluation for trigeminal neuralgia, serological examination for viral immune response and assessment of dry eye symptoms. Taking into account the contemporary features of etiopathogenetic treatment in patients with red eye syndrome has enabled achieving clinical recovery in 87.8% cases, improving compliance, and enhancing patients' quality of life.