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Everything you need to know about Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis
It’s everywhere! Wherever you look you see it. Your neighbour, your son’s teacher, your office colleague, they all have it. And if you are not careful you will have it too! Conjunctivitis or pink eye is in ‘fashion’ again. Conjunctivitis or pink eye, is an inflammation of the conjunctivita (The outer most layer of the eye that covers the sclera). The seasonal allergic conjunctivitis is back with a vengeance, stronger then ever before. The eyes are most susceptible to this because they are not sterile as they rely on lysozyme – an enzyme found in tears to destroy bacteria. Allergic conjunctivitis may be caused by intolerance to substances such as cosmetics, perfumes or drugs, animal dander, dust, and other allergens that are present in the environment all the year round. Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis is a form of allergic conjunctivitis. One of the reasons for people being affected en masse is related to the specific pollens that spore during this season. Bacterial conjunctivitis is often caused by bacteria such as staphylococcus and streptococcus. Viral conjunctivitis normally occurs with an upper respiratory tract infection, cold and sore throat. The most common give away is a constant niggling feeling in the eye, which causes the person to itch vigorously followed by watery discharges and redness. As symptoms remain untreated the eye lids get swollen and the consistency of the discharges become thicker causing the eye lids to stick together especially after sleeping.

Treatment

Medical

When you are down with conjunctivitis the relevant treatment depends on the root of the problem. a) Allergic type: Cool compresses, artificial tears, in severe cases, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications and antihistamines may be prescribed. Persistent allergic conjunctivitis requires topical steroid drops. b) Bacterial type: Antibiotic eye drops or ointments that cover a
broad range of bacteria. c) Viral type: There is no cure for viral conjunctivitis. Cool compresses and artificial tears give instant relief, for worst cases, topical steroid drops may be prescribed.

General guidelines

• Wash the redness away.

• Dip a washcloth in a bowl, add a pinch of boric powder and gently place it on your eyes.

Give your eyes the cold shoulder

If your eye itches and you have stringy pus, take an over the counter anthistamine and use cold, not warm compresses. A cold compress will relieve the itch.

Two minutes of shut eye

If you are using over-the-counter eye drops to soothe the itch, keep your eyes shut for at least two minutes after applying the drops. When your eyes remain open, blinking your eye can wash away the medication. Use eye drops sparingly, using them for more than three days can be counterproductive and can actually induce redness.

Give in to the shades

Wear dark glasses since the eyes are more sensitive to the sun at this point. (Contrary to popular belief, dark glasses do not prevent spreading of the infection from one person to another).

Prevention

To curtail the spread of this infection, take these simple steps:

• Disinfect surfaces such as doorknobs and counters with
diluted bleach solution.

• Avoid taking a swim. If you are going to go swimming, wear tight fitting goggles while in the water.

• Refrain from touching your face.

• Don’t share your towels and washcloths, as this spreads the infection easily.

• Do not reuse handkerchiefs.

• Covering your sore eye is perhaps the worst thing you can do when you have conjunctivitis. This raises the temperature of the eye and the bacteria causing conjunctivitis grow faster in a warm environment. Putting a patch on your eye interferes with the flushing mechanism of tears, which removes the waste products. It’s much better to leave the eye exposed.

• Shaking hands should be avoided. (This is one of main reasons for the spread of this infection).

• Wash your hands 24/7. Soap kills bacteria and viruses that cause conjunctivitis. Frequent washing is important as people touch their eyes more often than not.

• Baby shampoo to the rescue: Though not advised for children, this solution for adults will help. Make a solution of one part baby shampoo to ten parts warm water. Dip a sterile cotton ball in the solution, and while keeping the eye closed, take of the crust.

Exercise caution

• Remove contact lenses at the first sign of conjunctivitis

• People using contact lenses are more susceptible to eye problems like conjunctivitis than people who don’t. If you wear contact lenses remove them at the first sign of conjunctivitis as there is a serious risk of your cornea getting infected. In rare cases it can also lead to blindness.

When you should see the doctor

If you still can’t see the whites of your eyes after two or three days of self-care, then go see your eye specialist immediately. If your symptoms include blurred vision, pain or ‘halos’ around lights, see an ophthalmologist as soon as possible.
So, spread the word and not the infection!

Written by James · Filed Under Eye Care 

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