Conjunctivitis Symptoms, Diagnosis And Treatment

Conjunctivitis, commonly called pink eye, is an inflammation of the transparent membrane, or conjunctiva, that lines your eyelid and part of your eyeball. When small blood vessels in this transparent membrane become inflamed the whites of your eyes appear pink or red, this is the most notable symptom of conjunctivitis and is where the term "pink eye" comes from. One or both eyes may be affected. This article shares additional medical symptoms of conjunctivitis as well as what causes pink eye and how it is treated.

Conjunctivitis Symptoms And Causes:

Common symptoms of conjunctivitis include:

• Redness of one or both eyes
• Clear or yellowish discharge from the affected eye(s) that can leave a heavy crust that forms on the lashes during the night
• Itchiness in one or both eyes
• A gritty feeling in the affected eye(s)
• Excessive tearing
  

Other symptoms may include:

• Eye pain
• Red swollen eyelids
• Hypersensitivity to light
• Blurry vision
  

Conjunctivitis is commonly caused by a viral infection but may also be caused by a bacterial infection, an allergy or irritation to the eye (smoke, wind, dust, chemical exposure, overuse of contact lens, etc.).
Newborn infants may contract conjunctivitis during birth if the mother is infected with Gonorrhea or Chlamydia (common sexually transmitted disease).

Viral conjunctivitis or pink eye is common in children and is contagious, which can lead to widespread infection in schools or preschools.

Conjunctivitis Diagnosis And Treatment:

Diagnosis is typically based on the observation of the aforementioned symptoms. The diagnosis may need to be confirmed by your doctor. Your doctor will perform an examination of the eyes and may swab the eyes for lab analysis to determine the cause of the inflammation.

Treatment will depend on the cause. Your physician may prescribe an antibiotic (i.e. antibiotic eye drops) if your case of conjunctivitis is caused by a bacterial infection. Viral conjunctivitis will typically run its course within a short period of time but your doctor may provide you with antiviral eye drops or ointment. In the case of viral and bacterial conjunctivitis a warm compress applied gently to the eyes may remove crusty discharge and soothe discomfort.

Conjunctivitis that results due to an allergy should clear after the allergy is successfully treated or when the allergen is removed. Cool compresses gently applied to the eyes may help soothe irritation.

If the condition does not clear within a few days, you will want to contact your doctor, especially if you have not already done so. A culture of the discharge and additional medications may be necessary.