How Do You Get Pink Eye

Pink eye is a common yet unpleasant condition characterized by a watery, sticky discharge from the eyes. The thin coating of tissue that covers the whites of the eye, the conjunctiva, can become inflamed due to an infection or an allergy to dust or dust pollen, causing the condition commonly known as conjunctivitis. 

The symptoms of pink eye are extremely unpleasant and will likely be experienced by everyone at some point. If you’ve ever had pink eye, you know how annoying it can be, whether you woke up with your eyes swollen shut or had to cope with constant discharge. It’s also inconvenient and might force you to miss school or work. 

It’s also not always obvious if you should visit your doctor immediately to begin therapy or wait it out. Inflammation of the conjunctiva causes pink eye, commonly known as conjunctivitis. The conjunctiva covers both the whites of your eyes and the inside surfaces of your eyelids. 

Here are the potential causes of your pink eye and what you should do about them if you are presently experiencing conjunctivitis and want to know how do you get pink eye or want to be prepared for the next time.

What Is Pink Eye?

Conjunctivitis is characterized by inflammation and redness of the conjunctiva, a thin layer of tissue covering the eye’s white area. Conjunctivitis, or “pink eye,” is another name for this inflammation of the eye’s clear membranes. Itching and watering are two further symptoms of conjunctivitis; if an allergy is blamed, a sticky film may also develop on the eyelashes.

One reason “pink eye” has gained such a bad reputation is that some forms of conjunctivitis are infectious and may spread rapidly. Pink eye is characterized by a reddish or pinkish discoloration of the whites of the afflicted eye, a discharge from the affected eye, and itching and burning in the affected eye. The disease manifests in one eye first, then spreads to the other. 

When exposed to seasonal allergens or certain chemicals, allergic conjunctivitis symptoms might become more severe. To treat your conjunctivitis effectively, a doctor, optometrist, or pharmacist must identify its etiology. It doesn’t take long for conjunctivitis caused by bacteria or viruses to spread.

What Causes Pink Eye 

Infection with a virus or bacteria or an allergic reaction commonly triggers this illness. Air pollution, cigarette smoke, and chemical ingredients in cosmetics are all known irritants that can bring on an asthma attack. Pink eye is caused in infants when the tear duct does not fully develop. 

Conjunctivitis from a sexually transmitted disease (STD) is extremely rare. Pink eye is contagious and easily spreads through direct touch between the hands and the eyes or by contact with infected surfaces. Moreover, conjunctivitis viruses and bacteria can be transferred via coughing and sneezing.

Types Of Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis)

• Bacterial Conjunctivitis

Several household members or students in the same classroom may get bacterial conjunctivitis due to its high contagiousness. Transmission of bacterial conjunctivitis occurs through direct contact, typically via things that have been in touch with the infected person’s eye discharge. 

The bacteria may be spread in several ways, including when an infected person contacts their eye and then touches another surface, like a door handle. Or when they share an object that has come into contact with their eye, like a towel or pillowcase.

While bacterial conjunctivitis most often affects just one eye, it can spread and cause inflammation and discharge in both. Drainage of the discharge, which can be yellow, white, or green, typically persists throughout the day. 

The damaged eye may be trapped shut upon awakening. When treated with antibiotic eye drops or ointment, most cases of bacterial conjunctivitis clear up rapidly and do not lead to any long-term complications.

• Viral Conjunctivitis

In most cases, the same virus that causes the common cold is also responsible for viral conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis symptoms include red, watery eyes, a runny nose, a sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes. These symptoms may occur independently or as part of the common cold. Infection of the conjunctiva by a virus is very infectious. 

The contagious virus can be transmitted by direct contact with contaminated eye secretions. When an infected individual contacts their eye and then touches another surface, or when two sick people exchange an object that has touched an infected person’s eye, the virus can spread.

Signs of viral conjunctivitis include redness, discharge of watery or mucus, and discomfort, burning, sandy, or gritty in one eye. Some people get mucus discharge in the morning, crusting, and watery discharge. During 24 to 48 hours, the second eye frequently develops the infection.

Viral conjunctivitis cannot be treated. Recovery can start within days; however, symptoms often worsen for the first three to five days, then improve gradually over the next one to two weeks, taking two to three weeks to resolve.

• Allergic Conjunctivitis

Typical allergy sufferers are more likely to experience this kind, which happens when an allergen or trigger is introduced to the eyes and creates a reaction. Allergenic conjunctivitis is more frequent throughout the spring and fall. 

It’s brought on by mold spores or pollen from blooming plants like trees, grass, and weeds. Animal hair or dander, feathers, and dust mites are common allergens that trigger chronic allergic conjunctivitis at any time of the year.

Symptoms Of Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis)

Eyes that are red or pink, frequently accompanied by additional symptoms such as itching, wetness, or pain, are the most prominent sign of conjunctivitis. If you have bacterial conjunctivitis, you might experience a yellow or green sticky discharge from the eyes. 

It’s extremely annoying to wake up with your eyes stuck together because of this discharge. If you have viral conjunctivitis, either one or both of your eyes could get infected, and the discharge from your eye will most likely be clear.

If you have allergic conjunctivitis, both eyes will likely be red and swollen. Your nose may run, your eyes may water, and you might sneeze if you have hay fever. In most cases, the discharge from your eyes will be clear. Conjunctivitis symptoms may also include:

• Suffer from eye puffiness
• Suffer from partial blindness or discomfort
• Itch or burn eyes
• Sharpness in eyes
• Teary eyes

Pink Eye Diagnosis

A medical practitioner should be able to diagnose pink eye without too much trouble. You only need to answer a few questions and let them examine your eyes to determine if you have pink eye.

A doctor may inquire as to whether or not your eyes are irritated and whether or not you have a runny or thick discharge. A cold, hay fever or asthma symptoms may also be asked about. Moreover, they could do a battery of tests, including:

• The evaluation of the fundus to rule out the possibility of any further tissue damage
• Under bright lights and a microscope, the conjunctiva and external eye tissue are inspected.
• A conjunctival tissue smear performed on patients whose pink eye has persisted after therapy is the gold standard for diagnosing and monitoring the disease.
• Check your eyesight to see if it has been harmed is recommended.

Treatment of Pink Eye(Conjunctivitis)

Identifying the root cause of pink eye before beginning the therapy is important. Conjunctivitis can be helped by washing the eye daily with clean cotton wool dipped in warm tap water. Virus infections usually go well without any additional therapy. 

Eye infections caused by bacteria may require antibiotic eyedrops or ointment. Use the medication as directed for at least a few more days after your symptoms have subsided. If you have bacterial or viral conjunctivitis and wear disposable contact lenses, you should immediately discard them and get a new contact lens case.

It would help if you cleaned your extended-wear contact lenses as directed by the manufacturer. Please wait at least a week after your symptoms have subsided before resuming the use of contact lenses. Eye makeup and eyelash extensions applied during an illness should be discarded. 

Antihistamine eye drops or pills are commonly used to treat allergic conjunctivitis. Sometimes, an allergist may recommend testing to assist in pinpointing the source of your symptoms.

Home Remedies To Ease The Pain

Regular medical checkups for your eyes are essential, especially if you’re suffering any severe or pervasive symptoms. Pink eye can be quite uncomfortable, but depending on the strain of the illness, you can do things to alleviate the pain at home.

• Warm and Cold Eye Compresses 

Applying compresses to the afflicted eye or eyes can help reduce viral or bacterial conjunctivitis pain. The discharge might be easier to remove, and the eye can feel better if you apply a warm compress. 

Cold compresses can reduce irritation and settle inflammation. When dealing with allergic conjunctivitis, a good remedy is cold compresses. Avoid touching another with the same compress if just one eye is affected.

• Use Eyedrops

Redness and irritation in the eyes can be alleviated with artificial tears, a brand of lubricant drops available at most drugstores. When taken regularly, they can also relieve the dryness of the eyes brought on by chronic conjunctivitis. Antihistamine eye drops can help with the symptoms of conjunctivitis caused by allergies, such as excessive watering and itchiness.

Methods for Preventing the Spread of Pink Eye

While viral and bacterial pink eye is easily transmitted from one person to another, some measures can be taken to prevent the disease’s transmission.

• You should wash your hands well afterward if you aid someone with pink eye by administering eye drops or laundering their linens.
• Pillows, towels, cosmetics, and glasses used by a person with pink eye should not be shared.
• Touch your eyes only after thoroughly cleaning your hands with soap and water.
• Regular hand washing with soap is the most effective method for removing grime and bacteria. Hand sanitizer containing alcohol should be used in place of water if possible.
• Make sure you clean, store, and replace your contact lenses as your eye doctor recommends.

How Long Does Pink Eye Last?

The pink eye normally clears up within two weeks if the cause is a viral illness. The bacterial pink eye normally improves within a week. In any case, a full resolution could take longer than two weeks. 

In most cases, antibiotics are unnecessary and should only be given when there is a real risk that the patient will not recover in time for the patient to return to work or school. In most cases of allergic conjunctivitis, symptoms subside soon after the offending allergen is eliminated from the patient’s surroundings. Chronic conjunctivitis is defined as eye inflammation that has persisted for over four weeks.

Wrapping Up:

Conjunctivitis, or pink eye, is a disorder that produces eye redness, swelling, and discharge. Causes of pink eye include allergies and viral or bacterial infections. Adopting a wait-and-see strategy when dealing with pink eye may be prudent because the condition can resolve itself. 

Nonetheless, there are times when you might choose to put off seeing a doctor. While some incidences of pink eye can be serious, most do not. Extremely rarely, it can cause long-lasting corneal inflammation and irreversible vision loss. 

However, it is especially dangerous for infants exposed to chlamydia or gonorrhea in the birth canal during delivery. Newborns are especially vulnerable to the potentially blinding effects of pink eye, making prompt treatment essential.