Conjunctivitis: Causes, Treatment Process

With heavy rains and floods all over the country, there is a sharp rise in viral conjunctivitis cases throughout India, especially among school-going children and the working population. It is an epidemic that needs to be dealt with in an aware and responsible manner to get through the monsoon season in a safe manner while enjoying the rains.

What is conjunctivitis?

Conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the conjunctival layer, which lines the underside of the eyelids and the visible portion of the eyeball. It can be due to a variety of reasons, including viral infection, bacterial infection, allergies, and irritation due to dust and other foreign particles. Conjunctivitis is an infectious disease that can spread through the shared use of personal items. Therefore, it is very important to understand the disease so that we can protect ourselves from it.

What are the symptoms of conjunctivitis?

Symptoms of conjunctivitis, more commonly known as the pink eye, include:

1. Watering of the eyes
2. Itching
3. Discharge from the eyes
4. Blurry vision
5. Excessive tearing
6. Swollen eyelids
 7. Light sensitivity

The presence of any of these symptoms requires an urgent visit to the opthalmologist for proper treatment.

Types of Conjunctivitis:
Currently, the spread of conjunctivitis is due to infectious causes, but there are other causes of conjunctivitis as well, each of which is treated differently. Some causes of conjunctivitis are as follows:

1. Bacterial Conjunctivitis: This is caused by bacteria that can infect the eye while rubbing or touching it with objects or hands contaminated with the bacteria.
2. Viral Conjunctivitis: it is caused by viral particles that can spread through contact with the eyes with droplets created during coughing or sneezing by an infected person. Like bacterial conjunctivitis, viral conjunctivitis can spread by touching the eyes with contaminated hands or objects.
3. Allergic Conjunctivitis: this can be due to allergies a person may have to dust, pollen, or dander and is not infectious. It gives a person pleasure only when exposed to these specific allergic factors.
4. Irritating Conjunctivitis: It is caused by exposure of the eyes to irritating substances like smoke, chlorine water from swimming pools, and irritating fumes from chemicals.

How do I prevent conjunctivitis?

It is extremely important to protect yourself from infectious disease outbreaks to prevent days in bed and any complications related to the disease.
Below are some basic steps you can follow to protect yourself from infectious conjunctivitis, or pink eye.

1. Avoid sharing personal items such as makeup, towels, wipes, and contact lenses to avoid the direct spread of infection.
2. Keep your personal belongings clean and properly stored, especially things that come into contact with your face and eyes, such as towels and contact lenses.
3. Practise social distancing from people around you who have conjunctivitis.
4. If you have a known allergy, avoid the known allergens that can flare up an attack of conjunctivitis.
5. Practise good hand hygiene by washing your hands every 2 hours or using disinfectant wipes and sanitisers. 6. Avoid touching your eyes or rubbing them frequently, especially with unclean hands.
6. Keep your surroundings neat and clean to prevent the harbouring of any infections on commonly touched surfaces. surfaces such as door handles, door knobs, countertops, computer keyboards, and keys.
7. If you live in or work in an area where there is a high incidence of conjunctivitis, irritant chemicals, or dust particles, wear protective eyeglasses.
   

   Conjunctivitis Treatment:

   Treatment for conjunctivitis can be a combination of simple home remedies and effective drug therapy.

   The following are some of the common methods used for treating conjunctivitis:

   1. Hot compression over the eye

   2. Antibiotic eye drops and ointments

   3. Anti-histamine eye drops in cases of allergic conjunctivitis

   4. Decreased exposure to irritants by the use of protective eyewear in cases of conjunctivitis caused by chemical fumes,dust,etc.

   5. In cases of foreign body sensation in the eye, over-the-counter artificial tears are also very helpful.