You wake up in the morning and your eye is crusted shut, is red and feels like there is sand in it. You naturally think that you have pink eye, that highly contagious infection and you better get an antibiotic ASAP. So, you go to the doctor and they say that you have “conjunctivitis” and do not give you anything for it. What?? How can that be?
Conjunctivitis is the medical term for “pink eye”. All it means is that you have an inflammation of the tissues over and around your eye.
There are a few things that can cause this inflammation: allergies, infections, and irritants like pollution or smoke. Treatment depends on what is causing the inflammation.
If it is caused by an irritant like smoke, dust or fumes – If you can pinpoint the cause, then problem solved, you just need to avoid the suspected irritant.
Allergies? Taking an anti-histamine (allergy medicine) or using over the counter eye drops may help.
But what if really is an infection? I know what you’re thinking… if it’s an infection then you need an antibiotic. But with pink eye there are actually TWO different types of infections.
The first (and most common) is a viral infection. With viral conjunctivitis you can expect your eye to be red, with an itchy or burning sensation. There will be a “crust” on the eye lashes, and your eye may be weepy or more watery than normal. As with all viral infections, antibiotics will NOT work. Like most cold viruses, symptoms will last 7-10 days. You may use artificial tears or other over the counter eye drops to help relieve the redness and other symptoms.
Last but not least…. What if it’s a bacterial infection? You will notice the same basic symptoms, BUT the drainage from your eye will be thick and milky colored, and the eye will drain continually. This type of conjunctivitis is treated with antibiotic eye drops.
No matter which type of infection, you should never touch the infected eye as you don’t want the infection to spread to your other eye. Make sure you wash your hands often and well. Do not share towels, washcloths, bed clothes, make-up, or other personal items.
For those of you who wear contacts, make sure you see a doctor if you having any symptoms of pink eye, to make sure it is conjunctivitis and not something more serious that may be caused from the contacts. If you do have pink eye, you will need to remove you contacts and refrain from wearing them until the infection is gone. It is better if you can dispose of your contacts and start with a fresh pair once the infection is cleared. If this is not possible, you will need to clean them thoroughly.
If you are having eye pain or blurry vision you need to see a physician, as this may be an indication of something more serious.
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