Uvea: enucleation to prevent sympathetic ophthalmia: practice question

A Ophthalmology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Ophthalmology · Uvea: enucleation to prevent sympathetic ophthalmia

Sample item

A badly traumatised eye with no light perception is being considered for removal to prevent sympathetic ophthalmia. Ideally enucleation should be done within:

A1 yearB6 monthsCNever, as it does not prevent the diseaseD14 days of injury

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. 14 days of injury

Removal of a blind, hopelessly damaged exciting eye within about 2 weeks reduces the risk of sympathetic ophthalmia, though once the disease starts, enucleation of the exciting eye does not always help. Evisceration is avoided for this reason in some cases.

Option by option

A. 1 year
One year is too late for prevention.
B. 6 months
By 6 months the risk window has largely passed.
C. Never, as it does not prevent the disease
Early enucleation does reduce the risk.
D. 14 days of injury (correct)
Correct. Within 2 weeks is the traditional recommendation.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Ophthalmology question

What is the answer to this Ophthalmology question?

The best answer is D, 14 days of injury. Removal of a blind, hopelessly damaged exciting eye within about 2 weeks reduces the risk of sympathetic ophthalmia, though once the disease starts, enucleation of the exciting eye does not always help.

Why is "1 year" not the answer?

One year is too late for prevention.

Why is "6 months" not the answer?

By 6 months the risk window has largely passed.

Why is "Never, as it does not prevent the disease" not the answer?

Early enucleation does reduce the risk.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Uvea: enucleation to prevent sympathetic ophthalmia in Ophthalmology. Evisceration is avoided for this reason in some cases.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Uvea: enucleation to prevent sympathetic ophthalmia?

Group the red eye by what to examine and what the pupil does. Then use the flashcards and the other Ophthalmology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.