CONJUNCTIVITIS "Pink Eye or Red Eye"

CAUSES:

Conjunctivitis is a common eye condition worldwide. It causes inflammation (swelling) of the conjunctiva-the thin layer that lines the inside of the eyelid and covers the white part of the eye. Conjunctivitis is often call “pinkeye” or “red eye” because it can cause the white of the eye to take on a pink or red color.

The most common causes of conjunctivitis are viruses, bacteria and allergens. But there are other causes, including chemical, fungi, certain disease, and contact lens wear, (especially wearing lenses overnight). The conjunctiva can also become irritated by foreign bodies in the eye and by indoor and outdoor air pollution caused, for example, by chemical vapors, fumes, smoke or dust.

VIRAL CONJUNCTIVITIS:

Viral conjunctivitis is caused by infection of the eye with a virus.

•Can be caused by a number of different viruses, many of which may be associated with an upper respiratory tract infection, cold, or sore throat.

•Usually begins in one eye and may progress to the second eye within days.

•Spreads easily and rapidly between people and can result in epidemics.

•Is typically mild and usually clears up in 7-14 days without treatment and resolves without any long-term effects. In some cases, it can take 2-3 weeks or more for viral conjunctivitis to completely clear up, depending on whether complications develop.

BACTERIAL CONJUNCTIVITIS:

Bacterial conjunctivitis is caused by Infection of the eye with certain bacteria. Bacterial conjunctivitis:

•Usually begins in one eye and may sometimes progress to the second eye.

•Is a leading cause of children being absent from day care of school.

•Cases are typically mild and can last as few as 2-3 days or up to 2-3 weeks. Many cases improve in 2-5 days without treatment. However, topical antibiotics are often prescribed to treat the infection.

ALLERGIC CONJUNCTIVITIS:

Allergic conjunctivitis is caused by the body’s reaction to certain substances to which it is allergic, such as pollen from trees, plants, grasses and weeds; dust mites; molds; dander from animals; contact lenses and lens solution; and cosmetics. Allergic conjunctivitis:

•Occurs more frequently among people with other allergic conditions, such as hay fever, asthma and eczema.

•Usually occurs in both eyes.

•Can occur seasonally, when allergens such as pollen counts are high.

•Can occur year round due to indoor allergens, such as dust mites and animal dander.

•May result, in some people, from exposure to certain drugs and cosmetics

•Clears up once the allergen or irritant is removed or after treatment with allergy medications.

•Can occur when contact lenses are worn too long or not cleaned properly.

CONJUNCTIVITIS-PREVENTION

PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF CONJUNTIVITIS

Conjunctivitis caused by allergens is not contagious; however, viral and bacterial conjunctivitis can easily be spread from person to person and can cause epidemics. You can greatly reduce the risk of getting conjunctivitis or of passing it on to someone else by following some simple good hygiene steps.

If you have infections (viral or bacterial) conjunctivitis, you can help limit its spread to other people by following these steps:

•Wash your hands often with soap and warm water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

•Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes.

•Wash any discharge from around the eyes several times a day. Hands should be washed first and then a clean washcloth or fresh cotton ball or tissue can be used to cleanse the eye area. Throw away cotton balls or tissue after use; if a washcloth is used, it should be washed with hot water and detergent. Wash your hands with soap and warm water when done.

•Wash hands after applying eye drops or ointment

•Do not use the same eye drop dispenser/bottle for infected and non-infected eyes-even for the same person.

•Wash pillowcases, sheets, washcloths and towels in hot water and detergent; hands should be washed after handling such items.

•Avoid sharing articles like towels, blankets and pillowcases.

•Clean eyeglasses, being careful not to contaminate items (like towels) that might be shared by other people.

•Do not share eye makeup, face makeup, makeup brushes, contact lenses and containers or eyeglasses.

•Do not use swimming pools

If you are around someone with infections (viral or bacterial) conjunctivitis, you can reduce your risk of infections by following these steps:

•Wash your hands often and with soap and warm water. If soap and warm water is not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.

•Wash your hands after contact with an infected person or items he or she uses; for example, wash your hands after applying eye drops or ointment to an infected person’s eye(s) or after putting their bed linens is the washing machine.

•Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes.

•Do not share items used by an infected person; for example, do not share pillows, washcloths, towels, eye drops, eye or face makeup and eyeglasses.

•Clean, store, and replace your contact lenses as instructed by your eye doctor.

In addition, if you have infectious conjunctivitis, there are steps you can take to avoid re-infection once the infection goes away:

•Throw away and replace any eye or face makeup you used while infected.

•Throw away contact lens solutions that you used while your eyes were infected.

•Throw away disposable contact lenses and cases that were used while your eyes were infected.

•Clean extended wear lenses as directed.

•Clean eyeglasses and cases that were used while infected.