Combatting Conjunctivitis

You woke up with discharge in your left eye. Once you finally got it to open, you notice that your eyeball is reddish pink. You officially have pink eye or conjunctivitis.

Conjunctivitis is inflammation of the transparent tissue or conjunctiva that covers the white of the eye and lines the inside of the eyelids. When small blood vessels in the conjunctiva become inflamed, they’re more visible and cause the whites of your eyes to appear red or pink.

Conjunctivitis is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection, an allergic reaction, or in babies, an incompletely opened tear duct.

It is estimated that acute conjunctivitis affects 6 million people annually. Outbreaks of viral conjunctivitis are fairly common among children in play groups, day care, and school. They also commonly strike campers and users of public swimming pools.

While most cases of conjunctivitis clear up on their own, some can become severe. Without aggressive treatment, some severe infections can permanently impair vision by damaging the cornea, the crystal-like tissue that covers the colored portion of the eye.

It is important to know when to seek medical attention for conjunctivitis. Simply masking symptoms with over-the-counter eye drops that take away redness does nothing to control an infection. Most of the time when eyes get red where they should be white, the cause is not an infection.

The condition, while annoying, is rarely serious. At its onset, conjunctivitis usually is painless and doesn’t worsen vision and mild cases often clear up without medical care. But some types do require medical treatment and its difficult to tell which form you have, though itching is often associated with the allergic kind of conjunctivitis and a yellow discharge is associated with the bacterial kind. If treatment is delayed, the condition may worsen to the point where it causes corneal inflammation, corneal scarring and even a loss of vision.

Some common symptoms of conjunctivitis include redness in one or both eyes, itchiness in one or both eyes, a gritty feeling in one or both eyes, a discharge in one or both eyes that forms a crust during the night that may prevent your eye or eyes from opening in the morning, and tearing.

Untreated, viral conjunctivitis usually goes away in seven to 10 days, while the bacterial kind may last up to 14 days and an allergic type will last as long as the pollen does. Because the viral and bacterial types are highly contagious, it is a good idea not to share anything with anyone if you suspect you have this condition. Also, it is best to wash your hands thoroughly and often.

The infectious period can last from five days to two weeks or roughly speaking as long as there is discharge and the eye is red. Because of the likelihood of transmission, parents are advised to keep their children out of school for the entire period of time. Contact lens wearers should switch to glasses until the condition clears up.

Bacterial conjunctivitis usually clears up in a week if a person is prescribed antibiotic eye drops like Ciloxan (ciprofloxacin) and Floxin (ofloxacin). Some doctors prescribe Neosporin which is not as effective and can cause irritation, itching and burning eyes.

For allergic conjunctivitis, a doctor may prescribe drugs such as an antihistamine like Patanol or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug like Acular or “soft steroids” like Alrex and Lotemax (which can be used as a last resort for severe allergies).

In general, when the causative organism is not determined by microscopic examination or culture, doctors typically prescribe antibiotic ointment or drops to cover the possibility of a bacterial infection or prevent a secondary infection. But there is no specific treatment for the viral causes of conjunctivitis.

Follow these helpful tips to control and stop the spread of conjunctivitis:

·       Wash your hands often

·       Don’t share towels or washcloths

·       Change your pillowcases often

·       Don’t share eye makeup or personal eye care items

·       Toss away your eye cosmetics like mascara

Keep in mind that conjunctivitis is usually viral, which means antibiotic drops aren’t needed. The best thing you can do is let the virus or illness run its course. The disease can last two to three weeks.

Your doctor may advise you to place compresses on the affected eye. Over-the-counter eyedrops called artificial tears may be helpful in managing some of the symptoms. Some of these drops may contain antihistamines or other medications that may be beneficial to those with this illness. You may have to put contact lenses on hiatus for now until your infection heals.

Conjunctivitis isn’t a life-threatening disease. But it can make you uncomfortable. If you suspect that you have conjunctivitis, don’t wait, speak with your doctor as soon as possible.