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Conjunctivitis Diagnosis and Treatment Conjunctivitis is when the membrane (conjunctiva) which lines the inside of the eyelid and the white part of the eyeball becomes inflamed and infected. The more common term for conjunctivitis is Pink Eye; this term comes from the inflamed blood vessels in the white part of the eye looking more prominent, so the infected eye appears pink. The conjunctivitis usually starts in one eye, but easily spreads to the other eye since conjunctivitis is highly contagious. There are three types of conjunctivitis: Bacterial conductivities, viral conjunctivitis and allergic conjunctivitis. Bacterial Conjunctivitis
Doctors diagnose conjunctivitis as bacterial when there are the following symptoms; however, not all symptoms need to be present. • Redness in the eye • A gritty feeling in the eye—like something is in the eye • Discharge that can vary from watery to thick yellowish green. The discharge forms a crust while the patient sleeps. This makes it difficult to open their eyes in the morning. There are several types of bacteria that can cause conjunctivitis, but doctors don’t usually take a discharge sample for lab analysis unless antibiotics fail to clear up the infection. Treatment Doctors prescribe antibiotic eye drops, and the infection is usually cleared up in a few days. In children antibiotic ointment is sometimes prescribed; however, it causes blurred vision for about 20 minutes after application. It is vitally important to wash hands frequently because bacterial conjunctivitis is highly contagious. Also keep hands away from eyes. Contact lens should be cleaned and disinfected correctly. It is recommended that patients not to wear their contact lenses until the infection is cleared up. Viral Conjunctivitis Viral conjunctivitis is diagnosed from the symptoms which include • Red eye • Itching • Watery discharge Doctors will also diagnose viral conjunctivitis if the patient has the flu, a common cold or other respiratory infections. Conjunctivitis can also occur with rubella and rubeola. Treatment Doctors do not prescribe treatment for viral conjunctivitis. It is allowed to run its course, which can last from two to three weeks. Cold compresses and artificial tears can help relieve some of the symptoms and discomfort. Make sure and use clean wash cloths for the cold compresses. Allergic Conjunctivitis Allergic conjunctivitis usually occurs when pollen counts are high. Patients who have other allergic diseases, such as asthma, hay fever, or eczema are more likely to experience this type of conjunctivitis. Other environmental factors that can lead to an allergic reaction in the eyes are animal dander, cosmetics, medications and dust mites. The main symptoms are watery eyes and itching, but eyes can become red also. Treatment The best treatment is to try and avoid whatever is causing the allergic reaction. However, doctors may prescribe different kinds of eye drops depending on the severity of the allergy and to bring relief from the discomfort of the allergic reaction. The eye drops prescribed can be either antihistamines, mast cell stabilizers, decongestants, anti-inflammatory or steroids. |
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