Physical examination maneuver
Physical Exam
Eye Red Reflex
also known as Brückner test
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Video coming September 2026
How to Perform
Darken the room and set the ophthalmoscope to a round white light with the lens at 0. From about an arm's length away and slightly lateral to the patient, shine the light onto the pupil and look through the ophthalmoscope at the eye. A normal red reflex is a uniform, bright reddish-orange glow filling the pupil; dark spots, a blunted or absent reflex, or asymmetry between the two eyes are abnormal.
How to Interpret
Showing all 3 findings
Anisometropia
Asymmetric Bruckner reflex with unequal bright-crescent size between the eyes
Rule in
Very helpful
Rule out
Somewhat helpful
Evidence:Limited
Serious Ocular Pathology in Infants
Absent, diminished, or white red reflex (abnormal fundus reflex on red reflex testing)
Rule in
Very helpful
Rule out
Minimally helpful
Evidence:Strong
Strabismus
Asymmetric Bruckner reflex (inter-ocular difference in fundus reflex brightness/glow)
Rule in
Very helpful
Rule out
Minimally helpful
Evidence:Limited