This article will look at the symptoms and treatment of chronic conjunctivitis.
This is a stubborn and long-lasting catarrh of the conjunctiva of an infectious or non-infectious origin. A chronic disease is subjectively manifested by continuous burning, itching, a feeling of "sand" in the eyes, photophobia, fatigue of the organs of vision. Objectively, it is manifested by a small mucopurulent discharge and hyperemia. Diagnosis of chronic pathology is carried out by analyzing complaints and the results of allergy tests. In the treatment of this type of conjunctivitis, it is of paramount importance to determine the causes of the inflammatory process, the local use of drugs of symptomatic and etiopathogenetic action (ointments, drops).
Essence of disease
In ophthalmology, conjunctivitis accounts for about a third of all eye pathologies, they are the most common inflammatory process of the organs of vision. Unlike acute conjunctivitis, which develop more often in children, chronic conjunctivitis often affects elderly and middle-aged people.age. It can be combined with keratitis, blepharitis, dry eye syndrome, meibomitis and other inflammations.
Before talking about the treatment of chronic conjunctivitis in adults and children, consider the causes of the disease.
Causes of chronic conjunctivitis
According to etiology, chronic conjunctivitis can be divided into non-infectious and infectious, exogenous and endogenous.
Exogenous non-infectious chronic conjunctivitis is mainly caused by prolonged eye irritation by chemical or physical factors: acid and alkali fumes, smoke, dust, cosmetics, long and hard work of the eyes in poor lighting, etc.
Chronic conjunctivitis is observed in workers who are employed in the paper, woolen, sawmill, flour, cement, coal industries, chemical industries and hot shops. It can also cause chronic conjunctivitis, constant irritation of the mechanical type by foreign objects (eyelashes growing incorrectly against the background of trichiasis, particles of bulk substances, grains of sand, etc.).
Chronic recurrent non-infectious conjunctivitis may occur due to the influence of such causes: uncorrected refractive pathologies (presbyopsia, farsightedness, astigmatism), dry eye syndrome, electrophthalmia (snow blindness).
Chronic gastrointestinal ailments (cholecystitis, enterocolitis, gastritis), seborrhea, demodicosis, helminthic invasion, beriberi, diabetes mellitus, anemia andhyperglycemia.
Allergic conjunctivitis is chronic. In this case, eye manifestations can be combined with bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis and have a seasonal dependence.
Chronic infectious conjunctivitis can be triggered by inflammatory eye diseases (dacryocystitis, meibomeitis, blepharitis), ENT pathologies (chronic tonsillitis, sinusitis). In some situations, the process becomes chronic due to inadequate therapy of acute conjunctivitis. In crops and cytograms from the conjunctiva of patients suffering from chronic conjunctivitis, usually pathogenic microorganisms, chlamydia, moraxella, Pseudomonas, enterobacteria, staphylococcal flora are detected.
Symptoms of disease
The symptoms of chronic conjunctivitis gradually increase and persist for quite a long time. Patients suffer from a feeling of clogging and burning of the eye, heaviness of the eyelids, lacrimation and photophobia, increased fatigue of the organs of vision when reading and visual work. All these signs of chronic conjunctivitis most often increase by the end of the day and with artificial lighting. The discharge of the conjunctival cavity, depending on the origin of chronic conjunctivitis, may be moderate or sparse, most often has a mucopurulent or mucous character. There is an objectively unexpressed conjunctival hyperemia, a slight roughness of the mucous surface. This can be partially seen in the photo.
Treatmentchronic conjunctivitis, see below.
The allergic type of the disease is characterized by the formation of follicles or itchy papillae on the conjunctiva, and in some cases, inflammation of the cornea and visual impairment. Sometimes allergic conjunctivitis is also combined with neuritis, retinitis, uveitis, keratitis, blepharitis and allergic dermatitis.
The chronic form of the disease proceeds stubbornly and for a long time, can disturb for many years.
Therefore, the treatment of chronic eye conjunctivitis should be timely.
Diagnosis of pathology
A specific feature of chronic conjunctivitis is the discrepancy between the manifestation of clinical symptoms and objective data, which makes it difficult to determine the cause of the disease. A correct diagnosis can only be made after a full-time ophthalmological examination, analysis of concomitant diseases and complaints, an external examination of the eye, and the implementation of special laboratory and ophthalmological diagnostics.
In chronic conjunctivitis, visometry can determine a decrease in visual acuity or its relative norm. Biomicroscopy allows you to establish changes in the transitional folds of the eyelids and conjunctiva (velvety, looseness of the surface, slight hyperemia, papillary formations, etc.).
To exclude refractive errors, refractometry and skiascopy are done. If simultaneous dry eye syndrome is suspected, tear production tests are done: Schirmer's test, Norn's test, installation fluorescein test.
To identify pathogens, a bacteriological culture of a smear taken from the conjunctiva is required.
If the disease is chronic and caused by concomitant pathologies, additional consultations (allergist, dermatologist, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, otolaryngologist) and examinations (eyelash analysis for demodicosis, skin allergy tests, determination of sugar levels, analysis for chlamydia, PCR, RIF) may be needed, culture from the nasopharynx, X-ray of the paranasal sinuses).
Treatment of chronic conjunctivitis
It is necessary to treat the disease as early as possible, if the eye becomes red for two days, you should consult a specialist. The main therapeutic measures are aimed at combating the cause of the pathology. The course is educational in nature. A fairly common way to treat chronic conjunctivitis is the use of ointments and drops, which are selected by the doctor based on the cause of the disease.
Main drugs for conjunctivitis:
- Tobrex is an antibiotic that reduces severe tearing and inflammation. You need to dig into the bag of the conjunctiva every four hours, two drops.
- "Sofradex" - eliminates irritation of the mucosa. Instill two drops in each eye up to six times a day.
- "Floxal" - stops further bacterial development, drip one drop four times a day.
What else is used in the treatment of chronic conjunctivitis?
- "Tebrofen" - has an antiviralexposure, you need to drip into the damaged eye one drop three times a day.
- "Albucid" - a drug that helps to quickly eliminate redness and has an antimicrobial effect. Its only drawback is a burning sensation after application for a certain time. Drip two drops into each eye six times a day. The treatment course lasts a week. These drops for the treatment of chronic conjunctivitis should be prescribed by a doctor.
- "Gludanthan" - has an antiviral effect. In each eye, drip two drops three times a day.
It is important to remember that you cannot self-medicate: all the drugs listed above are prescribed only by a doctor based on the degree and form of pathology. The ointments prescribed by the doctor should be applied before bedtime, they primarily have a disinfecting effect.
What else does the treatment of chronic conjunctivitis involve?
Home Therapy
Pathology can also be treated with folk remedies. Any of them are intended for external use. To achieve a tangible effect, it is allowed to combine several recipes at the same time.
Drops made from kombucha infusion. With the regular nature of inflammation, it is recommended to grow kombucha. But in order to achieve the most powerful healing properties, you need to insist it on a decoction of chamomile or rose hips. The infusion should be instilled twice a day (in the morning and evening). This treatment for chronic conjunctivitis in children and adults continues for 6 weeks
- Kalanchoe (juice). It has quite effective therapeutic properties. To get drops, you need to mix the juice with water in a ratio of one to one, then drip three times a day. When burning from such a remedy, you need to replace the instillation with lotions, also three times a day.
- Honey drops. Dilute honey with cold boiled water in a ratio of one to one. The finished product should be instilled into the eye before going to bed. Drops need to be prepared in small quantities, since their maximum shelf life is only three days, they should only be stored in the refrigerator.
- Onion peel decoction. This tool quite effectively fights a chronic disease, helps to relieve inflammation of the eyes, strengthens the vascular system of the conjunctiva. To prepare it, you need to take the husks of three onions, then rinse it and pour a glass of water. Boil for ten minutes, then insist and cool. Make lotions from the decoction twice a day, leaving them for fifteen minutes.
- Tea rose infusion. Crushed and dried petals are poured with boiling water: a tablespoon of raw materials per two hundred grams of water. Everything is infused for half an hour and filtered. Ready infusion should be washed five times a day eyes. You can make warm lotions in the evening for at least half an hour.
Treatment of chronic conjunctivitis in adults and children is not always smooth, it all depends on the underlying cause.
Staphylococcal conjunctivitis
The disease is characterized by slow development, periods of improvement and relapses alternate. Patients complain mainly of moderatedischarge, high eye fatigue, redness and photophobia. On examination, there is a dried discharge in the form of crusts and hyperemia of the conjunctiva.
Chronic ailment manifests itself most often in adults with dry eye syndrome, impaired immunity, chronic blepharitis, tear duct disease, untreated acute conjunctivitis. If the disease is chronic, antibacterial agents are prescribed as the main measure:
- Vitabakt.
- Tobrex.
- Vigamox.
- Signicef.
- Oftakviks.
- Zimar.
If blepharoconjunctivitis is diagnosed, then the drugs are complex:
- Tobradex.
- "Dex-gentamicin".
- Combine-Duo.
Additionally prescribed anti-allergic medicines:
- Opatanol.
- Ophthalmoferon.
Anti-inflammatory drugs:
- Diclofenaklong.
- Acular.
- "Diklo-F".
For Tear Replacement Therapy:
- Optiv.
- "Hilo chest of drawers".
With blepharitis, "Teagel" is prescribed to carry out hygiene of the eyelids. All of these drugs are used twice a day.
Treatment of chronic staphylococcal conjunctivitis should be under the supervision of a specialist.
Advice to patients
For the effectiveness of treatment, you must follow the following recommendations of doctors:
- Wash your hands often to avoid eye infections. Take care of their proper hygiene.
- Avoid irritants as much as possible (cigarette smoke, lack of sleep, ill-fitting glasses, bright lights, swimming in a chlorinated pool, eye strain).
- You can not scratch irritated eyes, as this will not bring relief, and the existing symptoms will aggravate.
- Avoid those allergens that lead to chronic conjunctivitis.
- During the exacerbation of the inflammation process, do not do makeup. Do not use other people's beauty products and do not give anyone your own.
- Do not wear contact lenses during treatment and buy a new pair immediately after recovery.
Collection of herbs for drops
If the disease is in a neglected state, the treatment of chronic conjunctivitis of the eyes in adults and children is carried out with such a herbal collection: take 20 grams of marshmallow root, snapdragon, cornflower flowers, black nightshade leaves. These ingredients should be mixed, brewed with boiling water (1 tablespoon of collection per 100 milliliters of water). Wait until the product has cooled down, then strain well through gauze folded several times or through a nylon fabric. Infusion ready to drip into each eye three drops in the morning and evening.
Reviews
Patients in reviews of the treatment of chronic conjunctivitis say that they were forced to spend a lot of time, money and effort to get rid of the disease. And only if all the recommendations of the doctor were followed, it was possible to achieve success. perseverance andsystematic in therapy will help to do their job - the condition will be greatly facilitated, discomfort will decrease. It is not always about full recovery of he alth. According to reviews, the treatment of chronic eye conjunctivitis in adults and children is a long process.
Prognosis and prevention of pathology
Chronic conjunctivitis is difficult to treat, often there are relapses of the inflammatory process. Successful therapy is possible only with the complete elimination of the causes and systematic treatment. Prolonged (for many months or even years) course of chronic conjunctivitis can limit the ability to work and professional suitability of people.
Prevention requires the use of personal protective equipment at work, the implementation of timely correction of refractive deviations of vision, as well as the treatment of comorbidities.
We looked at the symptoms and treatment of chronic eye conjunctivitis in adults and children.
