Conjunctivitis is a condition in which the transparent membrane that lines the eyelid and eyeball becomes inflamed. Conjunctiva is the name of this membrane and conjunctivitis (pink eye) occurs when small blood vessels become inflamed or irritated. That’s why in people with this condition, the eye of the ball appears reddish or pink.
Mostly, conjunctivitis occurs due to a viral infection but sometimes it can happen due to a bacterial infection, allergic reaction, or if the tear duct is not completely opened (in babies). In any case, this eye condition does not affect the vision despite irritation. There are different treatment options that can help to treat this eye problem. Early diagnosis and treatment are recommended because sometimes, this condition can be contagious and spread to other people.
Symptoms
- Eye redness and itchiness
- A gritty feeling in the eyes
- Tearing
- Light sensitivity (photophobia)
- Discharge in one or both eyes that make a crust over the night and may prevent eye-opening in the morning.
However, there are different health conditions that can provoke redness of the eye but along with this symptom, you may also experience eye pain, feelings like something stuck in the eye, blurred vision, and others. If any of the previous symptoms happen, immediately contact your healthcare professional. In addition, people who wear contact lenses should stop wearing them until the conjunctivitis symptoms go away. If you do not notice any improvements within 24 hours, you should see a doctor.
Causes
Check below the most common causes of conjunctivitis:
- Bacteria
- Viruses
- Allergies
- Chemical splashes in the eyes
- A foreign object in the eyes
- A blocked tear duct (in babies)
Bacterial and Viral Conjunctivitis
Adenovirus is one of the most common causes of this eye condition. However, it also can occur due to other viruses including herpes simplex virus, varicella-zoster virus, and others. In most cases, either bacterial or viral infections appear with colds or other symptoms (including sore throat or respiratory infections). Bacterial conjunctivitis may happen if you are wearing contact lenses that are not cleaned properly or not your ones.
Furthermore, both conjunctivitis types are very contagious and they spread to other people through the liquid that drains from an infected person’s eyes.
Allergic Conjunctivitis
This type of conjunctivitis usually affects both eyes in response to an allergic-causing substance (such as pollen). In normal circumstances, the body makes special antibodies (immunoglobulin E or IgE) in response to allergens. In other words, IgE makes cells located in the mucous lining of the eyes and airways produce inflammatory substances (such as histamines). Therefore symptoms such as red or pink eyes happen due to histamines.
The most common allergic conjunctivitis symptoms include persistent itching, tearing, eye inflammation, watery nasal discharge, sneezing, and others. This pink eye type is not contagious and can be treated with allergy eye drops.
Irritation Conjunctivitis
In such cases, people can experience pink eye due to a chemical splash or a foreign object in the eyes. Moreover, you can experience eye redness and irritation while trying to get rid of objects or chemicals from the eyes. The most common symptoms include watery eyes, mucous discharge, and others. However, previous symptoms usually disappear within 24 hours.
In case you continue to experience symptoms after cleaning the eye, you should visit a doctor immediately. There are some chemicals that can provoke permanent damage to the eye.
Risk Factors
This eye condition can affect anyone and the following factors just increase your risk of getting it. Check below some of them:
- Get in direct contact with an infected person with a viral or bacterial type of conjunctivitis.
- You are exposed to something you are allergic to.
- Those who use contact lenses are at increased risk of developing pink eye.
Complications
You may wonder what happens if you are not treating this condition. However, some complications can happen to you. In other words, if you ignore this eye condition, it may lead to cornea inflammation which could impact your vision. Check below some of them:
- Blurred vision
- Sensitivity to the light
- Eye pain
- A feeling that something is stuck in the eyes
How to Prevent Conjunctivitis?
To prevent or avoid this eye problem, you should practice good hygiene. It also can help to prevent conjunctivitis from spreading. For example:
- It is advised to change your pillowcases frequently, not use old cosmetics (such as mascara), avoid sharing eye cosmetics and personal eye care products, and not let other people use your towels or washcloths.
- You should also regularly wash and avoid touching the eyes with your hands.
However, if you experience a contagious form of conjunctivitis, it is advised to stay at home until it goes away.
In addition, babies are more prone to develop this eye condition. They can get bacteria that are present in the birth canal of the mother. Usually, these bacteria do not cause any problems for the biological mother but can lead to a serious form of pink eye (ophthalmia neonatorum) in the babies. This pink eye type is considered a medical emergency. In any case, physicians usually apply an antibiotic ointment to the newborn’s eyes after birth.
Diagnosis
In most cases, an eye examination and questions about symptoms are enough to diagnose this condition. However, if doctors are not sure whether you have this condition or not, they can get a sample of fluid from the eye and send it to the laboratory. Such tests are done by the doctors if they suspect you may have a high-risk cause including a foreign object in the eye, severe bacterial infection, or a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
Treatment
The treatment goal is to relieve the symptoms and doctors usually advise the following options:
- Artificial tears
- Warm or cold compresses that are applied several times daily
- Cleaning of the eyelids with a wet cloth
If you are wearing contact lenses, doctors usually recommend interrupting using them until the condition goes away. However, if you are using hard lenses, you should disinfect them before each reuse. Consult with your doctor about what you should discard or replace before or during this eye condition. Moreover, it is advised to replace any makeup used before the disease.
In most cases, viral conjunctivitis goes away on its own within several days. However, physicians may prescribe antiviral medications if pink eye is caused by herpes simplex virus.
Allergic Conjunctivitis Treatment
The first you should do in such cases is to avoid exposure to allergens and use eye drops. Doctors usually recommend antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers. Sometimes, they can prescribe anti-inflammatory medicines such as decongestants, steroids, and anti-inflammatory drops. In addition, there are some nonprescription medicines that also can be effective in allergic conjunctivitis treatment. Talk with your doctor about the most effective option for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common cause of pink eye?
Viruses are the most common factor that provokes conjunctivitis (pink eye). However, some people may experience this eye problem due to bacterial infection or an allergic reaction.
What are the potential complications of pink eye?
In case you ignore this condition and do not receive treatment, it may lead to some unpleasant outcomes. For instance, one of the complications is chronic conjunctivitis, which can provoke permanent damage to the eyes.
What are the best medications for conjunctivitis?
- Besifloxacin ophthalmic
- Gatifloxacin ophthalmic solution 0.3%
- Moxifloxacin ophthalmic
- Levofloxacin ophthalmic
- Ciprofloxacin ophthalmic
- Ofloxacin ophthalmic
However, discuss with your healthcare professional before using any of the previous medications. Ask your physicians if you have any other questions.
