Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) - Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

 Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) Treatment

Whether pink eye is brought on by bacteria, a virus, an allergy, or something else will determine how it should be treated.

• Treatment for bacterially induced pink eye

If germs are the cause of your pink eye, your doctor will write you an antibiotic prescription (eye drops, ointments or pills).

• Treatment of virus-induced pink eye treatment

Virus-induced pink eye doesn't require treatment unless it's caused by the herpes simplex, varicella-zoster, or a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Antiviral drugs are necessary for treating these severe illnesses. They could leave an eye scar or impair your eyesight if untreated.

• Treatment for pink eye brought on by irritants

If something irritates your eyes and gets into them, rinse them for five minutes with a warm, moderate stream of water. Avoid being around the irritating compounds any longer. Within four hours of cleaning your eyes, they ought to start to get better.

• Treatment allergy-related pink eye

Eye drops either over the counter or on prescription are used to treat allergic conjunctivitis. They either contain antihistamines to manage allergic reactions or anti-inflammatory medications like steroids or decongestants to treat inflammation. By placing a cold compress to your closed eyelids, you can momentarily ease your symptoms. By avoiding the allergens that trigger your symptoms or using over-the-counter allergy medications, you can avoid developing this type of pink eye.

• Treatment for pink eye brought on by STIs (STIs)

Although rare, pink eye brought on by STIs can be dangerous. Antibiotics are used to treat pink eye caused by bacteria, and antiviral drugs are used to treat pink eye caused by viruses.

• Treatment for autoimmune disease-related pink eye

If you have an autoimmune pink eye, treating the underlying condition will also take care of your pink eye. To control your symptoms until your eye feels better, ask your healthcare practitioner.

Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) Prevention

Your doctor may advise you to skip work, school, or child care until you are no longer contagious if you or your child has bacterial or viral pink eye. Pink eye can be stopped in its tracks by practicing good general hygiene and ocular cleanliness.

• Avoid touching or rubbing an inflamed eye(s)
• Wash your hands with soap and water frequently.
• Use two new cotton balls per day to wipe away any discharge from your eyes. After discarding the cotton ball, wash your hands in warm soapy water.
• After using eye drops or ointment on your own or another person's eyes, wash your hands.
• Never exchange personal goods like towels, cups, makeup, or contact lenses.

References

Patel, P. B., Diaz, M. C. G., Bennett, J. E., & Attia, M. W. (2007). Clinical features of bacterial conjunctivitis in children. Academic Emergency Medicine, 14(1), 1-5.

Scherer, L. D., Finan, C., Simancek, D., Finkelstein, J. I., & Tarini, B. A. (2016). Effect of “pink eye” label on parents’ intent to use antibiotics and perceived contagiousness. Clinical pediatrics, 55(6), 543-548.

Sharma, M., Nagori, K., Soni, S., Verma, V. S., & Singh, A. (2014). Herbal significance and home remedies to treat conjunctivitis: An overview. Research Journal of Topical and Cosmetic Sciences, 5(1), 30-35.

Xu, R. (2022). An overview of eye infection. African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research, 9(1), 1-2.