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hypopyon
pus in the eye
Etiology:
- anterior uveitis (iritis)
- corneal ulcer
- Behcet's disease
- bacterial endophthalmitis
Pathology:
- layering of leukocytes in the anterior chamber of the eye
- sterile pus; occurs by reaction of leukocytes to toxins rather than the invasion of pathogen
Clinical manifestations:
- red eye
- hypopyon appears as white, semicircular collection of pus at the inferior pole of the anterior chamber behind the cornea
- exudate settles to the bottom of the eye due to gravity
Laboratory:
- vitreal cultures
- blood cultures if systemic origin likely
Management:
- management of endophthalmitis as indicated
General
eye infection (ocular inflammation including eyelid inflammation)
References
- Wikipedia: Hypopyon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypopyon
- Images in Clinical Medicine: Hypopyon
Stephen Soloway, M.D., and David Weissgold, M.D.
N Engl J Med 1996; 334:1512
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199606063342305