What is conjunctivitis?
Pink eye is a condition in which the conjunctiva, a clear membrane that covers the white of your eyeball and borders your eyelid, becomes inflamed or infected (conjunctivitis) The conjunctiva’s tiny blood vessels become more apparent when they are inflamed. This makes the whites of your eyes appear red or pink.
Pink eye is frequently brought on by a viral or bacterial infection, an allergic reaction, or, in infants, an insufficiently opened tear duct.
Even while the pink eye can be a pain, it rarely impairs eyesight. Pink eye irritation may be lessened with some treatments. Early diagnosis and treatment can help stop the spread of pink eye because it can be contagious.
Pink eye (conjunctivitis) can be contagious, so early discovery and treatment can help limit its spread.
Why does pink eye develop?
There are several potential causes, including:
- Viruses, such as those that cause the common cold
- Bacteria
- Shampoos, dirt, cigarette smoke, and pool chlorine can irritate.
- Adverse effects of ocular drops
- A hypersensitivity reaction to pollen, dust, or smoke. A specific allergy to which people who wear contact lenses are vulnerable can also cause it.
- Parasites, amoebas, and fungi
What Kinds of Pinkeye (Conjunctivitis) Are There?
- The most prevalent and possibly most contagious types are viral strains. They typically begin in one eye, resulting in ample amounts of tears and a watery discharge. The other eye joins in after a little while. You can feel a swollen lymph node behind your chin or in front of your ear.
- Bacterial strains often only harm one eye, though occasionally they do. Your eye will start to drain a lot of pus and mucous.
- Tearing, stinging, and redness in both eyes are symptoms of allergic kinds. Additionally, your nose may be scratchy and runny.
- The severe type of ophthalmia neonatorum affects babies. It may be brought on by harmful bacteria. To avoid blindness or irreversible eye damage, seek treatment straight away.
- The use of contacts or an artificial eye for an extended period of time is linked to large papillary conjunctivitis (ocular prosthesis). According to doctors, the chronic foreign body in your eye is causing an allergic reaction.
What Symptoms Indicate Pinkeye?
Depending on what caused the inflammation, they could consist of:
- Redness in the inner or outer eyelids or the eye white
- an enlarged conjunctiva
- greater tears than normal
- A thick, yellow discharge that crusts across the eyelashes, especially after sleeping. It may make your eyes stay closed when you wake up.
- ocular discharge that is either green or white
- Angular eyes
- burning eyes
- distorted vision
- more light-sensitive
- enlarged lymph nodes (often from a viral infection)
How Can Pinkeye Symptoms Be Relieved?
It largely comes down to cleanliness.
- Wash your hands frequently with warm water with soap, especially before eating.
- Maintain eye hygiene. Use a new cotton ball or paper towel to wipe up any eye discharge several times each day. After that, throw away the cotton ball or paper towel and wash your hands in warm water with soap.
- Until the infection clears, wash or replace your pillowcase every day. Bed linens, pillowcases, and towels should all be washed in hot water with detergent when doing laundry. Use paper towels or keep your personal pillows, washcloths, and towels separate from others.
- Avoid rubbing or touching your inflamed eye with your fingers. Wipe with tissues.
- Never share, wear, or use eye drops, contact lenses, or eye makeup. While your eye is healing, wear glasses. Additionally, make sure to clean all eyeglass cases, disposable lenses, and extended-wear lenses before discarding them.
- Make use of a warm compress, like a washcloth soaked in warm water. Three to four times a day, apply it briefly to your eye. This helps break up some of the crust that may develop on your eyelashes and lessens discomfort.
- Eye drops should be used sparingly. Except as directed by your eye doctor, do not use them for more than a few days. It could worsen the redness.
- Remove the patch from your eye. It can exacerbate the infection.
- Keep dirt and other irritating objects out of your eyes.
- Eye drops called “artificial tears” that are available without a prescription might help reduce the burning and itching that come from the irritants that cause pinkeye. However, other eye drops shouldn’t be used because they could irritate the eyes, especially those that are promoted to reduce eye redness. Do not use the same bottle of drops in an eye that is not diseased. Learning proper eye drop usage is also beneficial.
Treatment
Symptom relief is usually the primary goal of pink eye treatment. Artificial tears, wiping your eyelids with a wet cloth, and applying cold or warm compresses several times per day may all be advised by our best eye doctor (at Bharti Eye Foundation).
If you wear contact lenses, you will be told to wait until therapy is over before resuming wearing them. If your lenses are disposable, our best eye specialist probably will advise you to throw away any contacts you have worn.
