Conjunctivitis

Also known as pink eye, conjunctivitis is a common condition that is defined as inflammation of the conjunctiva, (the pink membrane which covers the front of the eyeball & the inside of the eyelids). Children are most commonly affected with conjunctivitis.

It can affect one eye (unilateral) or both eyes (bilateral) & covers a broad range of possible conditions which cause conjunctival inflammation which can be acute or chronic, infectious or non-infectious.

It is extremely important to seek medical care when it comes to any eye conditions. Failure to do so could result in loss of vision.

Causes of conjunctivitis:

Viral & bacterial infections are the most common cause of conjunctivitis, below are some possible causes;

• Viral infections
• Bacterial infections
• Allergies (plants, pollens etc)
•   Foreign object (grass seed, hair, eyelash)
•  Irritants (eg; smoke, fumes, dust)
• STD's (Chlamydia, Gonorrhea)

Conjunctivitis symptoms:

• Ocular (eye) discharge. This will vary depending on the cause of the conjunctivitis. It may either be clear & watery (allergic) or thick, containing mucus or pus (viral/bacterial).

• The conjunctiva becomes red & swollen.

• Blinking.

• Squinting.

•  Gritty feeling in the eye.

Diagnosis of conjunctivitis:

Your doctor will perform a physical examination including looking closely at the eyes & type of  discharge (watery, thick etc.) & obtain a history from you. He may be able to diagnose the cause based on signs & symptoms.

He may wish to perform some tests including;

• Conjunctival swab - Your doctor may take an eye swab which will be sent to a laboratory for testing. There are several tests which can be performed, including PCR (polymerase chain reaction), Immunofluorescent assay (IFA) or bacterial culture. 
• Fluorescein staining - This is a die which is used to stain & demonstrate ulcerations of the cornea.

Conjunctivitis treatment:

Treatment depends on the cause of conjunctivitis.

• Mild cases of conjunctivitis may only require flushing of the eye with a saline solution.

• Purulent conjunctivitis requires eye irrigations & warm soaks to loosen crusted eyelids.

Bacterial:

• Antibiotics or eye ointment applied several times a day to treat bacterial infections.

 Viral:

• Viral conjunctivitis tends to go away on it's own without treatment.

• Warm compresses may offer relief.

Allergic:

• If allergy is the cause, anti inflammatories & or antihistamines may be prescribed.

• Cool compresses may offer relief.

• Removing exposure to the allergen, if possible.

Preventing the spread of conjunctivitis:

Most cases of conjunctivitis are highly contagious. You remain infectious as long as you have a discharge.

• Infected people should stay home from school or work.
• Wash hands frequently.
• Do not share items such as eye drops, towels, eye make up etc.

Also see:

Styes

While great care has been made in the creation of these articles, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or omissions on these pages. If in any doubt whatsoever, seek professional medical advice.