Conjunctivitis is the inflammation (ie, redness, swelling) of the thin tissue covering the white part of the eye and the inside of the eyelids.
Signs & Symptoms
There are several kinds of pinkeye, including:
- 1. Bacterial
- a. Red or pink, itchy, painful eye(s).
- b. More than a tiny amount of green or yellow discharge.
- c. Infected eyes may be crusted shut in the morning.
- d. May affect one or both eyes.
- 2. Viral
- a. Pink, swollen, watering eye(s) sensitive to light.
- b. May affect only one eye.
- 3. Allergic
- a. Itching, redness, and excessive tearing, usually of both eyes.
- 4. Chemical
- a. Red, watery eyes, especially after swimming in chlorinated water.
- 5. Immune mediated, such as that related to a systemic disease like Kawasaki disease.
Mode of transmission
Hands become contaminated by direct contact with discharge from an infected eye, or by touching other surfaces that have been contaminated by respiratory tract secretions, and gets into the child’s eyes.
Control
- 1. Consult a health professional for diagnosis and possible treatment. The role of antibiotics in preventing spread is unclear. Antibiotics shorten the course of illness a very small amount. Most children with pinkeye get better after 5 or 6 days without antibiotics.
- 2. Careful hand hygiene before and after touching the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- 3. Careful sanitation of objects that are commonly touched by hands or faces, such as tables, doorknobs, telephones, cots, cuddle blankets, and toys.
It is helpful to think of pinkeye like the common cold. Both conditions may be passed on to other children but resolve without treatment. Pinkeye generally results in less symptoms of illness than the common cold. The best method for preventing spread is good hand hygiene.
Dr. Manjulata Mahanta
(MD Pediatrics, Sr Nephrology)
Heartmate Institute Pvt. Ltd.