Infection of the conjunctiva, a thin, clear membrane that borders the inside of your eyelid and covers the white of your eye, causes pink eye disease also known as conjunctivitis. Inflammation of the conjunctiva makes the tiny blood vessels there more apparent. Because of this, the whites of your eyes seem pink or crimson.
Pink eye is an annoyance, but it usually doesn’t lead to serious vision problems. pink eye may cause a lot of pain, but treatments are available to assist. Pink eye may spread easily, but it can be contained with prompt diagnosis and pink eye symptoms.
What Are Pink Eye Symptoms?
The pink eye symptoms may vary according to the underlying cause but might involve:
- The thin layer that borders the white of the eye and the inside of the eyelid, the conjunctiva, and the eyelids, may swell.
- The increased amount of tears produced.
- Tingling, stinging, or searing sensations.
- Eye discomforts, such as the sensation of something stuck in the eye or the overwhelming need to touch the eye.
- Discharge of pus or mucus.
- Problems with using and maintaining contact lenses that cause discomfort.
- Eyelash and lid crusting are common in the morning.
What causes pink eye?
Pink eye disease occurs when the conjunctiva, the thin membrane that covers your eye, becomes inflamed, causing the blood vessels to become more apparent and give the area a pink or reddish hue. Inflammation or pink eye symptoms may be caused by a variety of things, such as:
- Viruses, Pink eye is often caused by viruses. Pink eye may be caused by several different viruses, including coronaviruses like the one that causes the common cold.
- Substances that aggravate include shampoo, makeup, contact lenses, grime, cigarette smoke, and pool chlorination.
- Allergens like mold and pollen are included in this category
- Infections spread by sexual contact – Genital herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus, whereas bacteria cause gonorrhea and chlamydia. STIs cause pink eye in both adults and neonates.
- Something sticky got stuck in your eye.
Types of pink eye
Common types of pink eye include:
- Infectious
- Allergic
- chemical
An infection causes conjunctivitis
There are a few distinct strains of infectious pink eye disease:
- Bacterial – Two types responsible for bacterial pink eye are staphylococcal and streptococcal. The most common causes of conjunctivitis include direct contact with an infected person, the use of contaminated cosmetics, and close personal quarters.
- Viral – In most cases, viruses found in the common cold are to blame for viral pink eye. It may spread via close contact with someone with a cold or the flu. You may also get this by having a cold and then blowing your nose too forcefully. If you do this, the lung infection may spread to your eyes.
Eye allergies cause conjunctivitis
Seasonal allergies are the most common cause of allergic pink eye. Pink eyes may develop if they come into touch with their allergen, such as pollen.
If you use hard contact lenses or soft contact lenses that aren’t updated often enough, you risk developing a kind of allergic pink eye known as large papillary conjunctivitis. This condition may also affect those who have sensitive eyes.
The inflammation of the eyelids caused by chemicals
Common irritants that might cause pink eye include:
- Pool chlorination.
- Causes of poor air quality.
- Contamination by other substances
How is pink eye spread?
In the same ways that colds, flu, and other infectious diseases are carried from person to person, a pink eye infection can also occur. Viruses or bacteria may cause conjunctivitis, and the incubation period for either is typically 24 to 72 hours.
- Pink eye disease may be contracted by touching your eyes after touching an infected surface. Some bacteria may persist for many days on a surface, but most die off after just eight hours. The average life expectancy of a virus on a surface is a few days, although some may live there for up to two months.
- Close contact between infected people is also a risk, so be careful while shaking hands, hugging, or kissing someone. The virus may also be passed on by coughing and sneezing.
- If you use contact lenses, particularly extended-wear lenses, you put yourself at an elevated risk of developing pink eye. The risk is much higher for those who utilize disposable lenses because microorganisms may colonize the lenses and cause infections.
Early-Stage Pink Eye Symptoms
The list of the early warning pink eye symptoms is as follows:
- The Fluid that drains from the eyes
- Puffiness near the eyes
- Crusty buildup on the eyelids and eyelashes
- Scorching feeling
- The whites of the eyes are either red or pink
- Shedding tears
- Caused discomfort in the eyes
How Long Does Pink Eye Last
The majority of instances of viral conjunctivitis are considered to be moderate. In most cases, the infection will heal within seven to fourteen days, with no lasting effects and no need for therapy. On the other hand, the pink eye symptoms of viral conjunctivitis may not completely disappear for two to three weeks, or even longer, in some people.
The most severe kinds of conjunctivitis may be treated with antiviral medicine, which a doctor can prescribe. Consider conjunctivitis brought on by the herpes simplex virus or the varicella-zoster virus. Antibiotics will not help improve your viral conjunctivitis since these medications do not work against viruses.
Diagnosis
A thorough examination of the eyes is necessary for diagnosing conjunctivitis. Special attention may be paid to the conjunctiva and adjacent tissues during testing by the eye specialist Gurgaon, which may involve:
- Taking a patient’s medical history can help to identify the cause of their symptoms and any other factors, such as their age or lifestyle.
- Evaluation of visual acuity to identify any changes in eyesight.
- Examining the exterior eyelids, lashes, and conjunctiva under strong illumination and close inspection.
- Examine the retina and other retinal structures to ensure no other tissues are damaged.
- Cultures or smears of conjunctival tissue may be part of supplementary testing. This is especially crucial when treating chronic conjunctivitis or when the disease does not improve after therapy.
- An eye specialist in Gurgaon specializing in optometry may diagnose conjunctivitis and recommend therapy after performing these tests.
How to treat pink eye
The main goal of pink eye treatment is to alleviate the symptoms. Artificial tears, damp cloths for the eyelids, and cold or warm compresses may be prescribed by your doctor.
- People who use contact lenses are often instructed to refrain from doing so throughout their course of therapy. If your contacts are disposable, your doctor may advise you to toss them after each use.
- Hard contact lenses should be disinfected with rubbing alcohol for an entire night before reusing. Whether you use contact lenses, you may want to know if you should toss out your old lens case and get a new one while you’re sick. Make sure to toss out any old eyeshadow you used before you got sick.
- Antibiotic eyedrops are usually unnecessary. Drugs won’t help since the virus that causes conjunctivitis is generally a virus that may be resistant to or react negatively with other antibiotics. Instead, it’s best to let the virus take a few weeks to do its thing.
- Most cases of viral conjunctivitis manifest in one eye and then spread to the other within a few days. You should start to feel better as time goes on, even without any treatment.
If your doctor or Best Eye Hospital in Gurgaon decides that the virus causing your conjunctivitis is herpes simplex, you may be able to treat it with antiviral medicine.
Tips for avoiding further infection while dealing with pink eye
many of these may worsen your pink eye symptoms by irritating your eyes. Some things to keep in mind are:
- Putting drops in your eyes to reduce redness. You risk making your eye problem worse by using them, and they won’t help.
- Applying any plant or food to the eye as a topical pink eye treatment. In other words, they aren’t sterile or of a high enough quality for use in hospitals. Stay clear from them until your doctor recommends them for treating pink eye.
- Before doing anything you’ve read online, it’s always best to get the OK from your doctor. Avoiding possible eye irritation and injury is possible.
- Pink eye is common in young children and babies.
Newborns and young toddlers often have an outbreak of pink eye
Your doctor or Best Eye Hospital in Gurgaon will select the best course of pink eye treatment after considering the infection’s source, the child’s age, and the child’s tolerance for various drugs and treatments.
- Children – Outbreaks of the virus that causes pink eye are common in schools and daycares, making it a primary cause of school absences.
- In newborns – pink eye may be caused by a sexually transmitted illness such as chlamydia or gonorrhea that is passed on during birthing. This happens very infrequently.
Conclusion
Given the diversity of the underlying factors, there is no one effective prevention method. The illness may be kept from deteriorating further by being diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.
Additionally helpful is minimizing one’s exposure to allergen-causing agents as much as feasible. Even if there aren’t any obvious issues, simple preventative measures like washing your hands often and keeping your fingers out of your eyes may help.