Emergency Medicine End of Rotation (EOR) Practice Exam 2025 - Free EOR Practice Questions and Study Guide

The presentation of visual changes and ocular pain, especially in the context of periorbital and orbital cellulitis, strongly suggests orbital cellulitis. This condition is a serious infection that affects the tissues surrounding the eye and can lead to significant complications, including vision loss, if not properly treated.

Orbital cellulitis typically occurs as a result of bacterial infection from nearby sources, such as sinuses, and it can cause symptoms such as swelling around the eye, pain with eye movement, decreased vision, and changes in the eye’s appearance. The presence of visual changes indicates that the infection may be affecting the optic nerve or other structures within the orbit, which reinforces the concern for orbital cellulitis rather than other potential conditions.

In contrast, the other options listed typically present with different symptoms or may not be associated with the clinical context of cellulitis. For instance, hyphema involves bleeding in the anterior chamber of the eye and typically doesn’t present with the same constellation of symptoms seen in cellulitis. Branch and central retinal artery occlusions usually manifest as sudden vision loss without the associated ocular pain and swelling common in orbital cellulitis.

Thus, considering the clinical scenario of visual changes and ocular pain alongside signs of infection surrounding the eye, orbital cellulitis stands out