Eye pain in preschool children: diagnostic and prognostic significance.

Background: Preschool children often present for ophthalmologic examination because of eye pain. Although the differential diagnosis includes serious conditions, the diagnostic and prognostic importance of apparently isolated eye pain are unknown.

Methods: We reviewed records of 80 consecutive patients presenting between 2 and 6 years of age with eye pain but without a red eye or a history of an obvious cause of pain. Families of children seen in the office only once were contacted by phone to obtain follow-up information.

Results: Functional eye pain was diagnosed in 73 of 80 patients (91%). Of the 64 patients with follow-up between 1 week to 4 years (mean, 21 months), 56 (88%) had no other cause of eye pain. Dry eyes, allergic conjunctivitis, blepharitis, corneal foreign body, sinusitis, and trichiasis were diagnosed in 7 patients. Other children were found to have refractive error, amblyopia, blepharospasm, and nystagmus--all considered unlikely to cause eye pain.

Conclusions: Absent a preexisting or obvious cause of eye pain, the symptom is usually functional in preschool children who may have difficulty communicating vague visual symptoms to caregivers. However, such children deserve examination, not only so that unapparent causes can be excluded but also because unrelated conditions may require further evaluation and treatment. Parents can be reassured that if no abnormality is found on initial ophthalmologic examination, children with eye pain are unlikely to have subsequent diagnoses.