Overview
Conjunctivitis is a common condition caused by an inflammation or infection of your conjunctiva. Your conjunctiva is the thin mucous membrane that covers your entire eyeball.
It protects your cornea and keeps your tear ducts clean. Inflamed conjunctival tissue may cause your eyes to feel irritated, scratchy, and watery. You may also notice a burning sensation, itching, or discharge coming from your eyes.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms are:
- redness
- itchiness
- tearing
- discharge.
Prevention
Once diagnosed, the most effective way to prevent the spread pink eye is by practicing excellent hygiene. Specifically:
- Washing your hands often
- Avoid touching your eyes
- Changing your towels and washcloths regularly
- Changing your pillowcases often
In order not to contract pink eye:
- Discarding all used/dated eye makeup
- Never using someone else’s makeup
- Following the doctor’s directions on proper contact lens care
Treatment
In general, conjuntivitis does not affect sight or require extensive or emergency treatments. Because it can be very contagious for as long as 2 weeks after someone shows signs, it is important to get diagnosed and treated early.
For bacterial conjunctivits, doctors often prescribe antibiotic eyedrops or ointments, which should resolve the infection within a couple of days. The more common type, viral conjunctivitis, cannot be treated by antibotics and must just run its course. This kind of pink eye is often linked to the common cold. Conjuntivitis can also be due to allergies, and this type is not contagious.
Although pink eye often gets cured without treatment, it can accompany an inflammation of the corneas, which can affect vision severely. Extreme cases may require Corneal Transplantation.
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