EPISCLERITIS
It is inflammation of the episcleral tissue which is between the conjunctiva and the sclera. It is a common, self limiting disease and its etiology is unknown. There are no specific risk factors for this disease but a small number of patients have an associated systemic disease like systemic lupus erythematosus, reactive arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. The classic presentation is that of a red eye which may or may not be associated with pain. Sometimes the redness takes on a nodular appearance and in that case, it is termed as "nodular episcleritis". The nodular form of episcleritis is self limiting too but it takes slightly longer to resolve compared to simple episcleritis. The diagnosis is made clinically and as stated above, no specific treatment is required apart from supportive measures like cool compresses. However, in recurrent cases oral or topical NSAIDs can be prescribed for pain relief.