Fact Checked
Overview
- Pink eye is an additional name for conjunctivitis. Generally, it is caused by swelling of the external layer of the eye and on the interior of the eyelid that causes the eye to turn pink in color.
- In addition, it can be extremely infectious, and it is vital to detect the precise cause to make sure you get the correct treatment.
What is conjunctivitis?
Conjunctivitis indicates that the white of the eye (the sclera) is pink because of swelling.
If you experience pink eye, you may also:
- Experience tears.
- Have an expulsion of fluid, generally green or yellow.
- Have scratchy or fiery eyes
- Eyes may be delicate to light.
What are the causes?
The condition might be due to the following:
- Microbial infection.
- Virus-related infection.
- Sensitivity to certain substances (example, pollen).
- Aggravations such as dirt or chemicals
Conjunctivitis caused by virus-related or microbial infection is extremely contagious.
Treatment
- Treatment is dependent on the cause.
- Virus-related infections recover without treatment, but microbial infections need antibiotic eye drops. Generally, it can be hard to differentiate between the two.
- Allergic conjunctivitis is managed with antihistamine droplets or pills.
- Lastly, if you have an unknown object in your eye, your GP will have to remove it.
Prevention
- While adults can acquire the condition, it is much more frequent among kids. It is infectious.
- The individual should not wipe their eyes and should rinse their hands frequently. This will decrease the hazard of it spreading.
- Individuals working with an irritation or in a dirty environment should wear eye protection.
When to visit your GP
- At any time you think you have a conjunctivitis, visit your GP if it doesn’t recover within a few hours.
Related video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyUbi09chrc
FACT CHECK
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/conjunctivitis/
https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/eye-health-conjunctivitis#1
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pink-eye/symptoms-causes/syc-20376355