Physical examination maneuver
Physical Exam
Red Reflex
also known as Brückner test
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Darken the room and set the ophthalmoscope to a round white light. From about an arm's length away, look through the ophthalmoscope and shine the light onto both pupils or one pupil followed by the other. 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 4 findings
Anisometropia
Asymmetric Brückner reflex
Rule in
Very helpful
Rule out
Somewhat helpful
Evidence:Moderate
Media Opacity
Dark spots, streaks, or shadows silhouetted against an otherwise red reflex
Rule in
Very helpfulDerived CI
Rule out
Very helpfulDerived CI
Evidence:Moderate
Serious Eye Disease
Absent, diminished, or white red reflex in a newborn
Rule in
InconclusiveWide CI
Rule out
Not helpfulWide CI
Evidence:Strong
Strabismus
Asymmetric Brückner reflex
Rule in
Very helpful
Rule out
Minimally helpful
Evidence:Moderate
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