How to interview a patient with a red eye
Other platforms explain it with text and video. In VMS you practice it on the patient.
Most red eyes are conjunctivitis. Pain, reduced vision and light sensitivity point to something more serious.
Step by step
Introduce yourself and check vision
Get consent and test acuity in each eye. [1]
Pain
Gritty discomfort is common in conjunctivitis; deep pain is a warning sign. [2]
Vision and light
Blurred vision and light sensitivity are red flags. [3]
Discharge
Watery (viral), sticky yellow (bacterial), itchy (allergic). [2]
Contact lenses and trauma
Contact lens wear, foreign body, chemicals, injury. [3]
Other symptoms
Headache, vomiting, joint pain, cold sores. [3]
Summarize and plan
Explain treatment or urgent eye referral. [1]
Common errors
- Not checking vision.
- Missing contact lens wear.
- Treating painful red eye as conjunctivitis.
Practice it in VMS
In VMS you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.
VMS cases that train this skill
Sources
- AAMC Core Entrustable Professional Activities (Core EPAs)
- NBOME COMLEX-USA clinical presentations
- NCCPA PANCE Content Blueprint
Facts and steps follow NBOME COMLEX-USA clinical presentations; NCCPA PANCE Content Blueprint; AAMC Core Entrustable Professional Activities (Core EPAs). VMS is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.