You can wake up one day and notice you have pink eyes and start to wonder how you got it. It might have been caused by an allergy or infection. Pink eye, also known as conjunctivitis, is an infection or inflammation that covers the white part of your eye. It can be irritating but does not affect your vision. A pink eye can be contagious, but treatment and early diagnosis can help slow down its spreading rate. This article will outline the causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of pink eye.
Causes of Pink Eye
- Viral conjunctivitis
This type is contagious and can spread through crowded places and schools. It causes redness and burning in the eye with watery discharge. It is caused by the virus that causes sore throat and running nose in people having a cold.
- Bacterial conjunctivitis
This type is also very contagious. Bacterial conjunctivitis can make you have red, sore eyes with sticky discharge.
- Allergic conjunctivitis
This type of pink eye comes from an allergic reaction to animals, car fumes, pollen, or cigarette smoke. Unlike the other types, it is not contagious. It makes your eyes red, watery, itchy, and your lids get puffy.
How is pink eye diagnosed?
Pink eye is diagnosed by an optician based on giving comprehensive eye care. A microscope examines the eye structure in detail under high magnification. An eye swab can differentiate between bacterial and viral causes of pink eye and detect a specific bacteria or virus.
Your eye care specialist will take a sample of your eyelid cells using a cotton swab and send it to be examined in the lab.
Pink eye treatment
When treating pink eye, your doctor might recommend you use artificial tears or apply warm or cold compresses severally. If you wear lenses, you will have to stop wearing them until the treatment.
If you have to reuse hard lenses, you will have to disinfect them. Also, you can be asked to replace your contact lens and eye make-up that you were using before treatment.
Viral conjunctivitis infects one eye, but it infects the other after some time. If your eye care professional finds out that you have viral conjunctivitis, he will prescribe antiviral medications.
Pink eye-related allergies should subside when your allergy is treated to avoid the allergic trigger. Your doctor can prescribe eye drops with antihistamines to provide relief. Sometimes your doctor may suggest a combination of drugs to accelerate treatment.
Prevention
A variety of things can cause pink eyes, but there is no specific thing you can do to prevent it. Early diagnosis can prevent the condition from getting worse. Also, avoiding things that can trigger your allergy helps. Washing your hands frequently and avoiding bringing them closer to the eyes can make a difference, even if there is no threat.
Pink eyes are not always severe, but the best part is that it’s treatable, and you can prevent them at some point. The pink eyes can also heal on their own unless it’s severe. If you have it, you have to follow the necessary instructions to avoid spreading to others and avoid reoccurring. If you have any concerns, reach out for professional eye care.
