Conjunctivitis: What Is Pink Eye?
Pink eye or conjunctivitis is commonly caused by a virus which infects the membrane that lines the eyelid and covers the white part of the eyeball. The small blood vessels in the membrane become inflamed which causes the eye to look pink.
It usually lasts one to three weeks with the following symptoms in one or both eyes:
- Itchiness
- Redness
- Mucus discharge
- Tearing
- Gritty feeling
Pink eye is highly contagious, so it is important to prevent the spread of infection to the other eye if only one eye has been infected, by following these steps:
- Do not share washcloths or use the same one on the non-infected eye
- Do not touch your eye with your hands and wash your hands often
- Throw away your eye cosmetics
- Change pillowcases often
- Don’t share eye cosmetics
- Throw away your contacts if they are disposable
Treatment for pink eye involves managing the symptoms until it runs its course:
- Clean your eyelids with a damp cloth
- Stop wearing contact lenses
- Inquire with your physician if all your eye contact lens accessories should be discarded and replaced
- Apply a compress to the eye, either a cool or warm one
Ask your pharmacist about which eye drops would be suitable for you.
The Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology has recently determined pink eye can also be a possible primary symptom of COVID-19. If you have severe symptoms of pink eye with other symptoms of COVID-19, contact your physician.
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The material in this blog was sourced from: www.mayoclinic.org, www.webmd.com and www.Ualberta.ca. It is intended for information purposes only and should not be used in place of consultation with a healthcare professional.