Also known as conjunctivitis, pink eye is a highly infectious condition contracted in the eye. The medical condition basically attacks the conjunctiva part of the eye, which is the thin layer that covers the white part of the eyeball. Instead of the white area to appear clear and clean, it will have an inflamed reddish appeal. Check out these images for clear depictions of what pink eye looks like.
There is such an emphasis on the condition because it can spread like wildfire when not contained, and because it is an unsightly thing. It has been reported that pink eye most typically spread from one person to another in schools, crowded classrooms, or daycares. Luckily, this condition isn’t too serious and with proper treatment it can go away without having a long-term effect on vision.
Signs of Conjunctivitis
Many different things can cause pink eye to flare up. It’s usually caused by:
- Exposure to irritants like dirt, soaps, shampoos, pool chlorine, or smoke
- An allergic reaction to eyedrops
- Exposure to fungi, parasites, amoebas
- Bacteria and other viruses that usually cause colds and flu
- An allergic reaction to dust, smoke, contact lenses, or pollen
- Uncommon, but it can also be caused by STDs like gonorrhea
Signs of the condition is dependable on which variant of it you have, but will almost always include some or all of the below signs:
- Itchy and burning eyes
- A thick excretion of mucus from the eyeball
- Tearing up of the eyes combined with redness and severe itching
- Blurry vision
- A swollen lymph node that can be found either in front of the ear or under the jaw
- Sensitivity to light sources
- Discharge that is green, white, or yellow in color and crusts over the eyelashes during day or while sleeping
- With some variants, flu like symptoms or upper respiratory infection
When you show any of the above signs and symptoms you should avoid contact with other people immediately. Prevent the spread of the condition by following these precaution measures: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321551#_noHeaderPrefixedContent. It’s important that you consult with your doctor as soon as you experience symptoms of pink eye, so that you can start treatment as soon as possible. Neglecting immediate treatment can result in further painful symptoms like acute infections and corneal ulcers.
Treatment for Conjunctivitis
Many people believe in numerous home remedies that can include:
- Cleaning the eyes clean water or by crying
- Using artificial tears that are preservative and toxin-free
- Putting a clean cool cloth on the eyelids for 5-10 minutes a few times a day
- Remove contact lenses and wear glasses until eyes have been healed
- Avoid using expired beauty products on the face and eyes
- Avoiding re-infection by using the same washcloth twice or sharing someone else’s towel
Treatment for pink eye includes a lot of precautionary measures. Especially if you don’t want to infect those around you, you should make sure that you are extra careful when using communal items.
If you are looking for professional and medical pink eye treatment near me, then you can consider visiting your doctor for an assessment. It’s important to consult a healthcare professional, since there are a few variants of the illness. You should be able to identify whether it’s an allergy, a bacterial infection, or the cause of something else.
Doctors will typically suggest a prescription allergy medication when your pink eye is caused by an allergic reaction. When the infection is serious, your doctor might also suggest antibiotics. Although, viral pink eye doesn’t respond to antibiotics.
It’s super important to keep your hands clean and your nails short. Your hands are the number one cause of re-infection and touching or scratching your eyes will only infuriate the inflammation further.
When you experience more serious symptoms like loss of vision, intense discomfort and pain, overexcretion of mucus or other liquids, then you should consult a healthcare practitioner immediately.
As long as you take precautionary measures and follow treatment methods, you won’t suffer any long-term effects. Pink eye will run its course and you’ll be rid of it within 1-3 weeks.
