Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis)
What is Conjunctivitis?
Conjunctivitis, better known as pink eye, is the medical term that
describes an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin membrane that
covers the white of your eyes.
This membrane produces mucus to coat and lubricate the surface of the eye. Upon close inspection, you can see
fine blood vessels within this membrane. When the conjunctiva becomes
irritated, the blood vessels enlarge making the eye appear red in
colour.
Causes and Symptoms
Conjunctivitis can be caused by a number of things, but the most common
are viral and bacterial infections, allergies or environmental
irritants. Infection conjunctivitis--whether viral or bacterial--can be
quite contagious, so contact with the infected person's tears through
handkerchiefs and towels should be avoided. Hand washing after contact
will also prevent the spread.
The signs are usually quite obvious: red, irritated eye; a burning or
scratchy feeling; or, a pus-like discharge.
There are several eye diseases which also produce what might be confused
with "pink eye", so a medical evaluation with an ophthalmologist--a
medically trained eye specialist--is always a good idea. This is
particularly true if pain, blurred vision or severe light sensitivity
are also present as these are not normally associated with
conjunctivitis.
Treatment
Infection caused by bacteria can be treated with antibiotics. With a
bacterial infection, pus will be present. Most infections, however, are
caused by viral infections and cannot be treated with antibiotics.
While a consultation with your ophthalmologist is always recommended,
generally, the viruses that cause pink eye will clear up on their own
and are not damaging to the eye.
© Copyright by the Canadian Ophthalmological Society