Conjunctivitis: What is Pink Eye?
Have you ever felt irritation in your eyes? When you look in the mirror, perhaps you have noticed a swelling or a pinkness to the white part of your eyeball. This could be a sign of pink eye, otherwise known as conjunctivitis. In this article, we will explore the types of conjunctivitis, and its symptoms, alongside treatment options. Nonetheless, usually, there is no reason to be alarmed as it is rarely harmful in the long term.
What Causes Conjunctivitis?
Firstly, there is a need to understand what conjunctivitis is and what contributes to this condition to appear.
When pink eye happens, this can occur in one or both eyes. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses, allergens or other reasons, such as the environment.
Types of Conjunctivitis
In general, conjunctivitis can be divided into three types: infectious, allergic, and chemical.
- Infectious conjunctivitis: This type of conjunctivitis can either stem from bacteria or viruses.
- Bacterial pink eye is typically due to unclean hands touching one’s eyes, sharing makeup products or being in contact with someone who has conjunctivitis.
- Viral pink eye is commonly caused by colds. When you blow your nose too hard, this may push the infection from the respiratory system to the eyes.
- Allergic conjunctivitis: This is usually due to an existing allergy. Typically this type of conjunctivitis surfaces in persons with seasonal allergies, such as pollen.
- Chemical conjunctivitis: The irritation occurs as a result of irritants. This may occur from chlorine in pools, air pollution, contact lenses, or other forms.
If the condition occurs due to a bacterial or viral infection, it will be contagious. This can be spread from person to person, before knowing that you have it. Frequent touching of our faces is a habit most of us have and a study shows that people touch their faces 23 times on average per hour. If the cause of the condition is due to allergies, it is not spreadable.
Signs and Symptoms
Aside from a reddish pink hue to one’s eyes, there are other signs that may point to conjunctivitis.
- Abnormal amount of tears
- Watery eyes discharge at night
- Pain or irritated eyes
- Burning eyes
- A discharge that becomes a crust overnight, causing your eyes to be unable to open in the morning
- Blurred vision
- Sensitivity to light may be increased
- Swollen eyelids
When To See a Doctor
Some cases of conjunctivitis can be mild. However, it is best to seek a doctor’s opinion regarding your condition, in order to check whether it could be a sign of something more serious. If you experience eye pain, something stuck in your eye, blurred vision or increased light sensitivity, it is advised to seek medical care. For people who wear contact lenses, remove them immediately if you are experiencing signs of conjunctivitis. If it does not get better within the day, check if it is a condition related to contact lens use.
Diagnosing Conjunctivitis
At the doctor’s, usually, they are able to assess if you have pink eye after examining your affected eye.
- Medical history
First, they will ask about your symptoms or how the pink eye came about. Not only that, they will check if you have been in contact with anyone who has conjunctivitis. You may also be asked if you recently came into contact with any potential irritants.
- Slit lamp exam
This diagnostic tool requires a slit lamp, which is a microscope paired with a high-energy light beam. With this, the beam of light allows the doctor to examine the eye. At times, a drop of yellow dye (called fluorescein) may be used in order to assess the amount of damage to the eye.
- Visual test
Your eyes, one at a time, will be checked by the doctor. This is to assess how well you can see letters or symbols from 20 feet away. By doing this, your doctor can check if conjunctivitis has affected your vision.
- Eye culture
This is usually done if you have experienced conjunctivitis for 2-3 weeks without much improvement. During the test, the doctor will take a sample from the inside of one’s eyelid with a cotton swab. It will be sent to a laboratory to be examined by an expert. This can help the doctor to assess if it is a bacteria or virus infection.
Should there be a need, other tests may be carried out to assess the condition.
Treating Conjunctivitis
Treating pink eye depends on its cause of it. Therefore, here are some possible options available:
- Chemical conjunctivitis
If your eyes are reddened due to contact with chemicals, rinsing with saline is a way to ease the symptoms. Not only that, the doctor may prescribe some steroids in order to assist with the healing.
- Bacterial conjunctivitis
Usually, antibiotics are prescribed in order to treat this type of conjunctivitis. This can come in an eye drop or ointment form. It is important to finish the prescription in order to avoid the pink eye infection from returning easily. The symptoms should disappear within a few days.
- Viral conjunctivitis
If conjunctivitis has come about as a result of an existing cold, these usually do not have specific treatments. In general, they are mild and will be resolved within two weeks. You may use a warm compress or a moistened cloth to soothe your hurting eyes.
- Allergic conjunctivitis
In these cases, the doctor is likely to prescribe antihistamines in order to alleviate the reaction. This will help to subside the inflammation. Otherwise, there are eye drops which may assist as well.
In general, these are some home remedies that can be applied, no matter the nature of your conjunctivitis. These are some tips to follow:
- Remove your contact lenses if you are using them. Avoid using them for the time being until full recovery. In addition, change into a new set as the previous set is most likely infected if you are a frequent user.
- Stop wearing your eye makeup, if any. These may also be infected if you had worn them close prior to the infection.
- You may take some over-the-counter painkillers if the pain is unbearable.
Preventing Conjunctivitis
As conjunctivitis can be a troublesome condition, it is best to avoid contracting it. Basic hygiene is the most important lifestyle practice to prevent it.
These are some of the ways:
- Avoid touching your eyes and face with unwashed hands.
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. Should these be unavailable, you can use hand sanitiser.
- Only use clean items when wiping your faces, such as towels and tissues.
- Avoid sharing eye makeup.
- Wash your pillowcase frequently.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2021). Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) [Website]. Retrieved … December 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/conjunctivitis/index.html .
- Cleveland Clinic (2022). Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis) [Article]. Retrieved 27 December 2022, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8614-pink-eye .
- Gudgel, D. T. (2021). Quick Home Remedies for Pink Eye [Article]. Retrieved 31 December 2022, from https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/pink-eye-quick-home-remedies .
- Mayo Clinic (2020). Pink eye (conjunctivitis) [Article]. Retrieved … December 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pink-eye/symptoms-causes/syc-20376355 .
- NYU Langone Health (2022). Diagnosing Conjunctivitis [Article]. Retrieved 29 December 2022, from https://nyulangone.org/conditions/conjunctivitis/diagnosis .
- Rajaretnam, R. S. (2012). Conjunctivitis [Article]. Retrieved … December 2022, from http://www.myhealth.gov.my/en/conjunctivitis/ .
- Roth, E. (2022). What You Need to Know About Conjunctivitis [Article]. Retrieved … December 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/health/conjunctivitis .
- University of Maryland Medical System (2022). How to Avoid Touching Your Face [Article]. Retrieved 29 December 2022, from https://www.umms.org/coronavirus/what-to-know/prevention-safety/protect/not-touch-face .
- WebMD (2021). Conjunctivitis (Pinkeye) [Website]. Retrieved … December 2022, from https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/eye-health-conjunctivitis .
