Red Eye in dogs and cats
"Red eye" is produced by the presence of excessive blood in the eyelids or blood vessels of the eye or by bleeding (hemorrhage) within the eye.
Hyperemia of the eyelids or ocular vasculature or hemorrhage within the eye
Active dilation of ocular vessels occurs in response to extra- or intraocular inflammation, as well as passive congestion. Hemorrhage from existing or newly formed blood vessels also occurs.
OphthalmicThe eye or ocular adnexa.
Virtually every red eye fits into one or more of the following categories:
More than one cause of ocular injection may occur simultaneously.
Differentiating similar signs
Typically normal except in animals with anterior uveitis and hyphema secondary to systemic disease. See anterior uveitis/hyphema.
Vary depending on cause
Other diagnostic procedures
Tonometry must be performed in every animal with an unexplained red eye. In animals with ocular surface disorders:
Varies greatly depending on cause. Repeat ophthalmic examination as required to ensure that ocular inflammation is well controlled.
The greater the risk of loss of vision, the more closely the patient needs to be observed. This may mean daily or more frequent examinations in select animals.
- Skin laceration, cut, tear, bite
- Skin ulcer, erosion, excoriation
- Matted or dirty hair
- Ocular pain, eye
- Skin pain
- Head, face, ears, jaw, nose, nasal, swelling, mass
- Orbital, periorbital, periocular, conjunctival swelling, eyeball mass
- Swelling skin or subcutaneous, mass, lump, nodule
- Intraocular mass, swelling interior of eye
- Corneal or ocular foreign body, eye
- Hemorrhage of any body part or clotting failure, bleeding
- Petechiae or ecchymoses, bruises, ecchymosis
- Entropion, inverted eyelid
- Ptosis, lid droop
- Prolapsed third eyelid, protrusion nictitating membrane
- Chemosis, conjunctival, scleral edema, swelling
- Conjunctival, scleral, redness
- Conjunctival, scleral, injection, abnormal vasculature
- Conjunctival, scleral, laceration, cut, tear, injury
- Conjunctival, scleral, papules
- Corneal swelling, mass, nodule
- Corneal edema, opacity
- Corneal neovascularization, pannus
- Corneal ulcer, erosion
- Corneal injury, cut, tear
- Lacrimation, tearing, serous ocular discharge, watery eyes
- Decreased tearing, lacrimation
- Enlarged nictitans gland
- Exophthalmos, eyes protruding, proptosis
- Enophthalmos, sunken eyes
- Abnormal size of retinal vessels
- Retinal hemorrhage, bleeding
- Abnormal retinal reflectivity
- Retinal detachment
- Abnormal retinal pigmentation
- Retinal folds or elevations
- Miosis, meiosis, constricted pupil
- Abnormal pupillary shape or defect in the iris
- Abnormal pigmentation, color, iris
- Abnormal pupillary response to light
- Hyphema, blood anterior chamber of eye, "black eye"
- Papilledema, increased size optic nerve
- Microphthalmia, small globe, cornea, phthisis bulbi
- Buphthalmia, enlarged globe eye, glaucoma
- Opacity or precipitates in vitreous
Drugs and fluids