Conjunctivitis Symptoms, Causes & Treating

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) is a common eye disease affecting millions of people every year. Inflammation of the conjunctiva or an infection causes this eye infection. It is the inflammation or redness of the membrane that covers the white part of the eye and the conjunctiva (membrane) on the inner area of the eyelids.

These conjunctivas react to a wide array of viruses, toxic agents, bacteria, irritants, allergy-provoking agents and to the underlying diseases in the body. Although, it is not a serious eye condition but it requires proper medical treatment as the symptoms do not go away without appropriate medication. Further, Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) needs treatment immediately because the infection passes onto other people being exposed to identical items. As the eye turns red, it looks bad on the first diagnosis but the worst part is that it causes itching and irritation

Symptoms of Conjunctivitis

The unique forms of Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) have similar signs but each type of conjunctivitis can have different degrees of a particular symptom. A no. of the symptoms is present in varying forms of pink eye. The visibly noticeable symptom is the pink to reddish color covering the infected eyes due to inflammation. Irritation and itchiness are two other signs of conjunctivitis. Tearing is another common symptom of this eye infection. There are some differences in different forms of pink eye like discharge, frequent in both the bacterial and viral conjunctivitis. This discharge is yellow or green in color and flows down the two sides of the eye and is responsible for the sticking of the eyelids.

• Allergic Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)

1. Affects both eyes
2. Swollen eyelids
3. Tearing
4. Itching
5. Discomfort

• Viral conjunctivitis

1. Irritation
2. Infection begins with one eye but spreads to the other eye as well
3. Watery discharge
4. Red eye

• Bacterial conjunctivitis

1. Redness
2. Swelling of the membrane
3. Gritty feeling or irritation
4. Redness
5. Stringy discharge responsible for the eye lids to stick together

Causes of Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis results in irritation, inflammation or redness of the conjunctiva. The conjunctiva is the thin and clear membrane covering the inner surface of the eyelids as well the white portion of the eye. It commonly reacts to viruses, bacteria, allergy causing, medium, diseases or irritants of the different parts of the body.

Virus spread from various diseases like sore throats, cold and respiratory infections provoke viral conjunctivitis.

Certain bacteria enter the body through eye causes Bacterial Conjunctivitis. For example, bacteria like streptococci or staphylococci.

Allergic reactions to different chemicals such as dust mites, fumes, air born chemicals, cosmetic drugs and many other causes Allergic Conjunctivitis.

Treating Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)

Patients suffering from conjunctivitis require proper medical treatment. The treatment depends upon the causes of infection.

Doctors prescribe antibiotic ointments or eye drops covering a wide range of bacteria to the patients suffering from Bacterial conjunctivitis.

For the patients suffering from allergic type of conjunctivitis, artificial tears and cool compresses sometimes provide relief mild cases. In severe cases, doctors prescribe antihistamines or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines.

There is no treatment for viral Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) like common cold. However, in order to relieve the symptoms, doctors prescribe artificial tears and cool compresses. In the severe cases, ophthalmologists prescribe topical steroid drops to decrease the discomfort from inflammation.