Eye Pain: Diagnostic Tests

Obligatory medical device diagnostics

  • Ophthalmoscopy (ocular funduscopy).
  • Slit lamp examination (slit lamp microscope; viewing of the eyeball under suitable illumination and high magnification) – to evaluate the cornea.

Optional medical device diagnostics – depending on the results of the history, physical examination and mandatory laboratory parameters – for differential diagnostic clarification.

  • Gonioscopy (examination of the angle of the ventricle) – if glaucoma is suspected.
  • Tonometry (intraocular pressure measurement) – if glaucoma is suspected.
  • Perimetry (visual field measurement) – to determine possible visual pathway lesions.
  • Schirmer test (measurement of the amount of tear production; for this purpose, a 5 mm wide and 35 mm long filter paper strip (litmus paper) is inserted into the outer corner of the eyelid in the conjunctival sac; after 5 minutes, the distance is read off that the tear fluid has traveled in the paper strip; xerophthalmia (decreased tear production) is present when the distance is < 10 mm) – in cases of suspected tear secretion disorder.
  • Staining of the conjunctiva/cornea with fluorescein – if defects are suspected.
  • Electrophysiological examination methods such as electroretinography or electrooculography (EOG; methods for measuring the movement of the eyes or changes in the resting potential of the retina) – if retinal changes are suspected.
  • Sonography (ultrasound examination) of the orbit (bony eye socket) – if intraorbital space lesions are suspected.
  • X-ray of the skull – if bony changes in the orbital area are suspected.
  • Computed tomography of the skull (cranial CT, cranial CT or cCT) – if neurological cause such as meningitis is suspected.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging of the skull (cranial MRI, cranial MRI or cMRI) – when a neurological cause such as meningitis is suspected.