Thanks again to everyone who participated this week.
This picture is of a pre-orbital hematoma which is seen when the capillaries around the eye are damaged.
In a patient with tongue swelling and no history of trauma, this is concerning for amyloid purpura secondary to AL-amyloidosis. The differential diagnosis includes traumatic (particularly basal skull fractures), soft tissue injuries, and facial fractures.
In amyloidosis, this is a rare finding that typically occurs above the nipple line and is often seen in the webbing of the neck, the face, and the eyelids. Acquired Factor X deficiency, resulting from the binding of factor X to amyloid fibrils, is thought to be one cause of the spontaneous bleeding that may occur in patients with amyloidosis.
There is a differential diagnosis for eye lid discolouration:
This is a heliotrope rash secondary to dermatomyositis, an inflammatory myopathy:
The picture below is of blepharitis. A chronic eyelid inflammatory disorder typically caused by blocked meibomian glands and secondary bacterial infection.
Finally, this picture is of orbital cellulitis. This is a can’t miss diagnosis as it can represent a serious impending CNS infection.
And with that I’ve looked at enough red eyes for quite some time. Have a great weekend.