The Importance of Understanding the Condition of Pink Eyes
Pink eyes also called conjunctivitis, relate to
inflammation of your conjunctiva, which is a clear thin tissue that lines your
eyelid’s inside that cover your eye’s white area or the sclera. This inflammation
causes the blood vessels to be extra visible, thus, your eye will appear
reddish or pink.
The eye/s that is affected can be itchy, painful or
even create a sensation of burning. They might also be teary or expel a
discharge forming some crusts while you sleep causing your eyes to get stuck.
Other symptoms or signs which might accompany a
problem with pink eye/s can include:
Sensitivity to light that is very bright
Experience the feeling of something that is within your eye/s
Some swelling of your conjunctiva
When contact lenses won’t stay on your eye/s in place,
or/and feel very uncomfortable, it can be caused by bumps which might form
under your eyelid.
Tenderness or/and enlargement of your lymph nodes on
the front of your ear. It can have the feeling of a tiny lump if you touch it.
Usually, your lymph nodes will act inside your body as filters, to collect and
destroy bacteria and viruses.
It’s possible even for newborns to develop pink eyes,
known as neonatal conjunctivitis, or sometimes more rarely as ophthalmia
neonatorum. Symptoms that are common can include discharge from the eyes and
red, puffy eyelids which may appear between 1 day and 2 weeks post birth.
This condition in newborns can develop due to a tear
duct that is blocked, infection, or irritation of the eye/s. It may be passed
along from the mother in child birth even without having any symptoms because
it’s possible that she carries the viruses or bacteria within her birth canal.
If it’s related to infection, it may be a serious condition.
Reasons for developing pink eyes
Most of the time pink
eyes are caused due to viral or bacterial infections. Other things like
exposures to some irritants or allergic reactions may also be a reason.
Sometimes it can be difficult to pinpoint the reason as the symptoms and signs
are very similar regardless of what the underlying reason is.
Viral conjunctivitis
It’s caused by a variety of different viruses,
although herpes and adenovirus are viruses that are very common in causing this
condition. It might also develop together with a sore throat, a respiratory
infection of the upper tract, or a cold.
Bacterial
conjunctivitis
The reason for this infection is because of bacteria like Haemophilus, Staphylococcus aureus, or Streptococcus pneumonia. It’s very common for children, especially if they want some time off school.
Irritants
This condition may be caused due to cosmetics, smog,
contact lens solutions, plus the lenses, and swimming pool chlorine.
Allergic conjunctivitis
Usually, animal dander, molds, dust mites, or pollen
can be the reason for this condition.
Treatments
Generally, treatments
may depend on your type of condition.
Viral conjunctivitis
Most of the time, this condition will just last some
days, which normally won’t indicate or require any treatment. Some home
remedies can be applied such as a wet, cold washcloth on your eye a few times
daily as it may relieve your symptoms. Because this condition is highly
contagious, it’s not recommended to share the same washcloth by other members of
the family.
Bacterial conjunctivitis
The eye specialist usually can prescribe some
antibiotic ointments or eye drops to treat the condition.
Allergic conjunctivitis
Some medications for allergies may help to shorten or
prevent the bouts of this condition. Most of the time medications for allergies
need to be taken prior to the start of flare-ups or allergy seasons. The doctor
can provide you with details.
Prevention of pink eyes
Look at the following prevention tips to reduce the
risk significantly in developing pink eyes.
Avoid sharing any personal items like tissues, washcloths, or hand towels.
Make sure to cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze
or a cough, and also never touch or rub your eyes.
Under no circumstances should you ever share your special effect or color contact lenses.
It’s important to frequently wash hands, especially,
if you spend time in public areas or at school.
Disinfectants for your hands like Purell can come in handy to use frequently.
You should regularly use appropriate cleaning
antiseptics to clean surfaces like shared phones, faucet handles, bathroom
vanities, and countertops.
Knowing that you have a problem with seasonal allergy, it’s wise to consult the doctor about how you can minimize the symptoms prior to them starting.
By wearing contacts, make sure you follow the eye
specialist’s instructions to the tee for replacing and caring for them.
Properly use your lens solution or rather switch to disposable contacts daily.
During swimming, you should wear goggles to protect yourself from different microorganisms and bacteria in pool water.
Prior to taking a bath or showering, it’s important to
remove contact lenses and avoid bacteria being trapped in between your lenses
and eyes.
