Pink (Red eye) conjunctivitis develops due to inflammation of conjunctiva membrane, covering the eye whites and inner eyelid parts.
What is "pink eye"?
Pink eye, or conjunctivitis, are redness and inflammation of the membranes (conjunctiva) covering the whites of the eyes and the membranes on the inner part of the eyelids. This membrane reacts to a vast range of bacteria, viruses, fungal, allergic agents, irritants, toxic agents, and any underlying diseases within the body. Microbial forms of conjunctivitis are common in childhood, also can occur in any age. Pink eye can be classified infectious or noninfectious (allergic or toxic reaction). Pink eye does not cause any vision change. Some of the most common infectious pink eyes are as follows.
Viral pink eye
The leading cause of a red or pink eye is virus infection. Adenoviruses are the most common virus responsible for the eye infection.
Viral pink eye symptoms are:
- Watery discharge that is not green or yellow.
- Cold like symptoms such as sinus congestion and runny nose.
- Eyelids may be swollen.
- Sometimes seeing at bright lights is painful.
Viral pink eye is highly contagious, may not require an antibiotic. Occasionally, pink eye can be associated with infection of the cornea (front clear portion of the eye), so it must detect and treat in time.
Bacterial pink eye
Staphylococci, Streptococci and other bacteria commonly cause pink eye. Bacterial pink eye symptoms are:
- eye pain,
- swelling,
- redness,
- Discharges are usually yellow or greenish in color.
Eye discharges commonly accumulates during sleeping. Affected individuals may awaken with their eyes are stuck and difficult to open the eye. It requires a warm washcloth applied to the eyes to remove the discharge. Bacterial pink eye is taken care by repeated warm washcloths applied to the eyes and treated with antibiotic eye drop or ointment prescribed by the doctor.
It is not good and even harmful to use medication prescribed for someone else, or from an old infection, as these may have effect by other infections. A safe, effective, and potentially less frightening method is by putting the recommended drops in the inner corner of the eye. When the child (or aged patient) relaxes and opens the eyes, the medicine will gently flow into the infected eye membranes without the need to force open the eyes.
When have bacterial pink eye symptoms, then it is advisable to consult the doctor immediately? The bacterial infection needs an antibiotic treatment to fight against the infection and to kill the bacteria. If experiencing runny nose, cough, earache, etc., these symptoms too, may cause by the same bacteria. In addition, it needs an oral antibiotic to treat infection along with the antibiotic eye drop or ointment.
Chlamydia pink eye
Pink eye caused by the bacteria Chlamydia, an uncommon form of bacterial pink eye in the U.S., but very common in Africa and Middle Eastern countries. Pink eye is common among adolescents and adults, because it can sexually transmit. Chlamydia pink eye is usually treating with antibiotics such as erythromycin (E-Mycin, Eryc, Ery-Tab, PCE, Pediazole, and Ilosone) or oral tetracycline (Sumycin), except children of less than 8 years old, because of possible teeth discoloration.