Conjunctivitis

Overview:

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 in cats, 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)

Symptoms of conjunctivitis:

• 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.

Treatment of conjunctivitis:

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.