Conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is the moist surfaces of the inner eyelids and around the white of the eye. This is reportedly the most common ophthalmic problem in the country of Australia. This condition is most commonly due to either an allergic reaction or an infection.
Types of Conjunctivitis
It can be quite difficult to tell the difference between infective and allergic conjunctivitis. However, each type of conjunctivitis is treated differently. It is recommended that if you experience painful or red eyes, irregularly shaped pupils, unusual discharge or any loss of vision, this should be treated more seriously and should be checked with an appropriate healthcare professional.
Infective Conjunctivitis
Infective conjunctivitis may be caused by bacteria or virus. In some rare instances, sexually transmitted diseases, such as gonorrhoea and chlamydia may cause infective conjunctivitis.
Treatment for infective conjunctivitis
Most infective conjunctivitis cases do not require treatment. The majority of cases will heal on their own within two weeks. Over the counter, pharmacy only antibiotic ointment or drops are readily available to treat the condition which can speed recovery in most cases. It is important to note that the treatment should be used in both of your eyes, even if only one eye is infected.
After just a couple of days of treatment, the symptoms should resolve. You can aid the recovery of infective conjunctivitis with natural treatment by following a few simple guidelines, including:
- Throw away disposable contact lenses and replace the case. ‘Extended wear’ contact lenses need to be cleaned. Avoid wearing them for at least a week after symptoms have disappeared.
- Relieve feelings of stickiness or soreness in your eyes with lubricant eye drops.
- Use clean cotton wool that has been soaked in water to remove the sticky substance from your eyelashes gently. Only wipe in a single direction, either away from or toward your nose. Then, throw away the cotton ball after use in order to prevent any recontamination.
- Regularly wash your hands to prevent spreading the infection, especially after touching the infected eye. It is considered a highly contagious condition.
If you experience moderate to severe pain, intense redness, loss of vision or light sensitivity, you need to consult your healthcare professional immediately to rule out the presence of a serious condition.
Allergic Conjunctivitis
Typically, allergic conjunctivitis is caused by a number of triggers, such as dust mites, pollen, pet dander, eye drops or cosmetics.
The symptoms of this type of conjunctivitis include:
- red, burning, itchy, sore eyes and puffy eyelids
- dark pouches underneath the eye
- light sensitivity
- watery eyes
- additional allergy symptoms, such as runny nose, stuffiness and sneezing.
Clinical observation and patient history are used to diagnose allergic conjunctivitis.
There are four different subtypes including:
- Contact Dermatoconjunctivitis.
- Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis.
- Perennial Allergic Conjunctivitis.
- Seasonal Allergic Conjunctivitis.
Treatment for allergic conjunctivitis
The treatment for this condition will vary depending on the subtype, but may include:
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication
- mast cell stabilisers medication
- topical antihistamines
- corticosteroids, which may be oral or topical.
Although complications, such as keratoconus or corneal ulcers, are not common, early diagnosis and treatment is recommended. Because this type of conjunctivitis typically clears up quickly, the prognosis is good. While the condition is likely to reoccur, visual loss is rare.
Related reads
References
- https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/conjunctivitis
- Baab, S., Le, P. H., & Kinzer, E. E. (2022). Allergic Conjunctivitis. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448118/
- https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/allergic-conjunctivitis
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