A corneal abrasion presents with eye pain, redness, tearing, photophobia, and blurred vision. What is the most likely diagnosis?

A corneal abrasion presents with eye pain, redness, tearing, photophobia, and blurred vision. What is the most likely diagnosis?

• A. Conjunctivitis
• B. Corneal abrasion
• C. Uveitis
• D. Cataract

Answer: (B)

Corneal surface disruption causes sharp eye pain and photophobia because the cornea is richly innervated, so even tiny scratches provoke a strong pain response, tearing, and sensitivity to light. The blurred vision can occur when the epithelial irregularity interferes with smooth corneal surface, and fluorescein staining would typically reveal a corneal epithelial defect where the coating has been lost. This combination of acute pain with tearing and light sensitivity is most characteristic of a corneal abrasion. By contrast, conjunctivitis usually presents with more prominent conjunctival redness and discharge and less intense photophobia; uveitis tends to cause deeper, aching pain with a ciliary flush and cells/flare in the anterior chamber; cataracts produce painless, gradually progressive vision loss without redness or photophobia. Thus, the symptom pattern and the expected positive eye staining point to a corneal abrasion.

Corneal surface disruption causes sharp eye pain and photophobia because the cornea is richly innervated, so even tiny scratches provoke a strong pain response, tearing, and sensitivity to light. The blurred vision can occur when the epithelial irregularity interferes with smooth corneal surface, and fluorescein staining would typically reveal a corneal epithelial defect where the coating has been lost. This combination of acute pain with tearing and light sensitivity is most characteristic of a corneal abrasion. By contrast, conjunctivitis usually presents with more prominent conjunctival redness and discharge and less intense photophobia; uveitis tends to cause deeper, aching pain with a ciliary flush and cells/flare in the anterior chamber; cataracts produce painless, gradually progressive vision loss without redness or photophobia. Thus, the symptom pattern and the expected positive eye staining point to a corneal abrasion.