PEBC MCQ Self-care & Minor Ailments question: sensitivity to light and blurred vision since yesterday

PEBC MCQSelf-care & Minor Ailments

LO, 28, wears soft contact lenses and has a painful red left eye, sensitivity to light and blurred vision since yesterday. He asks for antibiotic eye drops. Which of the following is the most appropriate action?

a. Recommend naphazoline drops to reduce the redness and pain quickly
b. Recommend polymyxin B/gramicidin drops four times daily
c. Refer him for same-day eye assessment and stop lens wear
d. Recommend artificial tears and continued lens wear

Show the answer and explanation

Answer: c. Refer him for same-day eye assessment and stop lens wear

Pain, photophobia and reduced vision are red flags for keratitis, iritis or other serious eye disease, and contact lens wearers are at particular risk of bacterial (including Pseudomonas) and Acanthamoeba keratitis, which can threaten vision. He needs same-day assessment by an optometrist, ophthalmologist or physician and should remove his lenses. Self-treatment with OTC antibiotic or vasoconstrictor drops is inappropriate. Source: Canadian Ophthalmological Society, red eye referral guidance (2023); polymyxin B/gramicidin ophthalmic product labelling: consult a doctor if eye pain or vision changes (checked 2026).

Common mistake

Self-treating a painful red eye in a contact lens wearer.

Practice more PEBC MCQ Self-care & Minor Ailments questions

Exam-style questions with worked answers, then full timed mocks. Free to start.

Start practicing →

Study note: Self-care & Minor Ailments PEBC MCQpractice questions & mock exams

Related PEBC MCQ practice questions

GE, 35, has itchy, watery eyes and sneezing every spring. Vision is normal and there is no pain or discharge. Which eye product is most appropriate for regular use through the season?A parent asks to use her own betamethasone valerate 0.1% ointment (a mid-to-high potency steroid) on her 2 year old's eczema on the face and in the diaper area. Which of the following is the best advice?PK is a 52 year old male newly diagnosed with hypertension after home monitoring averaged 148/94 mm Hg. He has no other medical conditions and takes no medications. According to Hypertension Canada's 2025 primary care guideline, which initial treatment is most appropriate?

Build a daily practice habit — a few exam-style questions a day, with worked answers. Free to start.

Start practicing →

Original practice material written to the public PEBC blueprint; not a past or real exam question. Not affiliated with or endorsed by The Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC). Educational practice material for exam preparation only. Not medical advice and not a substitute for current product monographs, clinical guidelines or professional judgement. Questions have not yet been reviewed by a licensed pharmacist.