Conjunctivitis (pink eye) is a condition where the conjunctivae, which are the mucous membranes covering the white of the eyes and the inner side of the eyelids, are inflamed. It usually affects both eyes at the same time but it may also occur in one eye only. Conjunctivitis is usually caused by an infection or allergy. Sometimes a foreign object in the eye may cause conjunctivitis.
There are different treatments for conjunctivitis, depending on how bad it is and whether it is caused by infection or allergy. The rest of this webpage is about infectious conjunctivitis.
Infectious conjunctivitis is often treated with local antibiotics.
Symptoms
The symptoms of conjunctivitis are eye discharge, watery eyes, stinging, itching, foreign body sensation and redness. Conjunctivitis is not usually very painful.
Causes
Infectious conjunctivitis is usually caused by bacteria, such as staphylococci, streptococci and pneumococci, and, especially in children, by bacteria belonging to the haemophilus group. Also viruses are typical causes of infectious conjunctivitis.
Diagnosis
When examining the eye, the doctor may find conjunctival redness (the white part of the eye is bloodshot, more in the edges than in the middle) and that pus-like discharge is present. Sometimes, if the disease lasts for a long time, it may be necessary to take a sample of the discharge for bacterial culture. However, normally this is not necessary. Blood tests are not usually used in diagnosing eye inflammations. Allergic conjunctivitis (see Allergy) may sometimes be confused with infectious conjunctivitis. In allergic conjunctivitis there is less discharge (the discharge is typically clear and elastic) and the symptoms last significantly longer.
Treatment
Only a doctor can recommend the right treatment for someone with conjunctivitis, but everone who has conjunctivitis should follow one simple rule: don't touch or rub your eyes!
Eye inflammations caused by bacteria are usually treated with antibiotic eye drops and ointments. Usually the treatment lasts 3 to 5 days, sometimes longer. If the symptoms are alleviated with medicinal treatment, no control visit to the doctor is needed. If the inflammation does not settle down despite the medication or it reoccurs, you should consult your doctor.
