Introduction
Following the examination of the vision and visual fields with the confrontation method, the external eye and eyelids are inspected. The reason for conducting this examination after the previous two examinations is that extra lighting is required here, which may temporarily blind (‘dazzle’) the patient. This would render the examination of the vision and visual field unreliable.
The questions that are asked in the history-taking originate from the so-called prediagnosis.
Prediagnosis
Congenital/connate causes
Infection / Inflammation
Developmental disorders
Degenerative disorders
Malignancies
Vascular problems
Trauma
Obstruction
Ask yourself, in connection with the hypothetical causes of the symptom, which other phenomena could occur.
During the history-taking the following should be asked:
- Are the problems present in both eyes or in one eye only?
- How long have the symptoms been present?
- Does the patient regularly use eye make-up?
- If so, is it removed before retiring to bed?
- Is the surrounding skin of the eye and eyelids sometimes red and swollen?
- Is the surrounding skin of the eye and eyelids sometimes itchy?
- Does the patient wear contact lenses, and if so, what type?
- What type of storage fluid is used for the contact lenses?
- Is the eye itself sometimes red?
- Does the patient have a ‘runny eye’ and if so, are the tears sticky?