Conjunctivitis is an inflammation or infection of the clear membrane (conjunctiva) located under the eyelid and covering the white of the eye. When small blood vessels in the conjunctiva become inflamed, they become more visible. The white of the eye, respectively, acquires a reddish or pink color.
What is conjunctivitis more generally? This is a disease caused by a bacterial or viral infection, an allergic reaction, or (in children) an incompletely opened tear duct.
Although often irritating, this condition almost never affects vision. Various treatments can help relieve the discomfort caused by conjunctivitis. Given that the disease is contagious, early diagnosis and timely appropriate therapy should be ensured to avoid the spread of infection. Make sure you and your family know well how to treat conjunctivitis.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of conjunctivitis are:
- redness (in one or both eyes);
- itch;
- feeling of sand in the eyes;
- discharge that forms a crust overnight that prevents you from opening your eyes in the morning;
- lacrimation.
When to see a doctor
Seek a consultation with a specialist if you know exactly what conjunctivitis is and have noticed signs of it. The disease remains contagious for up to two weeks after the onset of the first symptoms. Early diagnosis and adequate treatment help prevent infection of others.
Patients wearing contact lenses should stop using them at the time signs of infection are detected. If symptoms do not improve within 12-24 hours, see an ophthalmologist to make sure it is not a more serious contact lens infection.
In addition, redness of the eyes can cause other diseases - usually associated with pain and visual impairment. If you experience these symptoms, or if you do not know how to treat conjunctivitis, you should seek emergency medical attention.
Reasons
Conjunctivitis can be caused by:
- viruses;
- bacteria;
- allergies;
- Eye contact with chemicals;
- foreign body in the eye;
- blockage of the tear duct (in newborns).
Viral and bacterial conjunctivitis
Both of these types of disease canspread to one or both eyes. A viral infection usually causes lacrimation, a bacterial infection usually causes a thick, yellow-green discharge. Both varieties can be due to colds or accompanied by symptoms of a respiratory tract infection, such as a sore throat.
Bacterial and viral conjunctivitis are equally contagious. The infection is spread through direct or indirect contact with discharge from the eyes of a sick person.
Adults and children are equally susceptible to these types of the disease, but children are more likely to be diagnosed with bacterial conjunctivitis. Home treatment in this case does not always help, and you should contact the local pediatrician at the clinic.
Allergic conjunctivitis
What is conjunctivitis and how is it classified if the inflammation is not caused by infections? An allergic-type disease affects both eyes and is a response to exposure to an allergen, such as pollen. In response to this irritant, the human body produces an antibody called immunoglobulin E. This body acts on special cells called mast cells (or mast cells) located in the mucous membrane of the eyes and respiratory tract. Mast cells produce inflammatory substances, including histamines. Histamine production contributes to a number of allergic signs and symptoms, including red eyes.
If you have chronic conjunctivitis caused by allergies, it is most likely accompanied by severe itching, watery eyes and inflammation of the eyes. There may also be sneezing and watery nasal discharge. Generally, allergic conjunctivitis can be controlled with special eye drops.
Inflammation due to irritation
Irritation from exposure to a chemical or the presence of a foreign body in the eye can also turn into chronic conjunctivitis. Sometimes rinsing and cleaning the eye to remove a foreign object or chemical causes redness and irritation. Signs and symptoms of the disease, which may include watery eyes and mucus, usually resolve on their own within a day.
Risk factors
There are circumstances that increase the risk of developing the disease. These include:
- Exposure to the allergen.
- Close proximity to a carrier of a viral or bacterial infection. In this case, viral conjunctivitis is especially dangerous, the symptoms of which do not appear immediately.
- Wearing contact lenses, especially for long-term use.
Treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis
If the infection is caused by bacteria, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics in the form of eye drops, and the infection will clear up within a few days. In some cases, when treating an infection in young children (children's conjunctivitis), instead of drops, an antibacterial eye ointment is prescribed. It is usually easier to apply to an infant's eyes than drops, although this type of medicine can blur vision for up to twenty minutes after application. In any case, after startingtherapy, the symptoms of the disease disappear after a few days. Follow your doctor's instructions and use antibiotics for the prescribed period to prevent a relapse.
Treatment of viral conjunctivitis
What is viral conjunctivitis and how to deal with it? Most types of viral conjunctivitis cannot be cured with medication. Instead, the virus is allowed to go through its full cycle of existence in a foreign body - this can take up to two to three weeks. Viral conjunctivitis, which has symptoms similar to those of a bacterial infection, usually starts in one eye and spreads to the other in a few days. Signs and symptoms of the disease gradually subside without medication.
You may need to take antiviral drugs (eg Acyclovir) if your doctor determines that the herpes simplex virus is the root cause of eye inflammation.
Treatment of allergic conjunctivitis
If the eye irritation is an allergic reaction, the doctor will prescribe special eye drops to treat the allergy. There are a great many such drops (including Opatanol, Levocabastin). They may contain drugs to control the allergic reaction (antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers) or substances that affect inflammation (decongestants, steroids and anti-inflammatory drops).
How to quickly cure conjunctivitis withoutmedicines? Symptoms can be reduced on their own by being careful and avoiding contact with allergens.
Conjunctivitis home treatment
To alleviate the course of the disease, it is recommended to take the following measures:
- Apply compresses. To make a compress, dip a clean, lint-free cloth in water and squeeze well, then apply to closed eyelids. Cold compresses are usually the most soothing, but some patients feel better with warm water. If the infection only affects one eye, do not touch the he althy eye with the same tissue - this will reduce the risk of spreading the disease.
- Try eye drops. In pharmacies, over-the-counter eye drops are released under the general name "Artificial tear" - they alleviate the symptoms of conjunctivitis. Some drops contain antihistamines and other drugs that can help people with allergic conjunctivitis.
- Stop using contact lenses. If you wear contact lenses, it is advisable not to wear them until your condition improves. The length of the contact lens withdrawal period depends on the causes of eye inflammation. Ask your doctor if you should throw away the lenses with the cleaning solution and container. If you can't just throw away your contact lenses, clean them thoroughly before using them again.
