The Diagnosis of Pink Eye

Conjunctivitis, which is also known as pink eye, is a common ailment of the conjunctiva. Caused by infection or irritation or triggered by certain allergens, pink eye, itching, stinging, pain and light sensitivity are symptoms that provide a diagnosis of the type of infection. Pink eye is not a serious eye disease, but it can be bothersome and painful if left untreated and is highly contagious. Medical intervention is necessary if you are infected with pink eye.

  1. Forms of Pink Eye

    • The conjunctiva, the clear membrane that covers the white parts of the eyes, is sensitive to viral, bacterial and allergic infections. Viral conjunctivitis is caused by ailments and is highly contagious to children and adults. Bacterial conjunctivitis is caused by the conjunctiva coming into contact with certain bacteria. Staph infection is a the main culprit of bacterial conjunctivitis. Allergic conjunctivitis is caused by fumes, cosmetics and airborne chemicals.

    Discharge

    • Pink eye is characterized by a pink and reddish color of the eye. The pinkish color indicates inflammation of the conjunctiva. The irritation will also be accompanied with incessant tearing of the eyes. The tearing is the eyes' way of trying to flush the conjunctiva of the pink eye infection. A gritty feeling or the feeling that there is a foreign object in the eye accompanies pink eye infections. There might be a yellowish or green discharge of the eye, especially when the person wakes up from sleeping.

    Risk Factor

    • Coming into contact with someone with pink eye may expose you to the infection. Exposure to allergens may trigger pink eye. Sharing contact lenses also spreads pink eye. Pre-school and school age children are at risk of pink eye because they are more likely to share infected personal items. Most academic institutions will ask for the child to stay at home until the infection clears. Proper hygiene can minimize the spread of pink eye.

    Doctor Visit

    • The doctor will swab the surface of the eye with a special instrument to obtain a culture. The sample of the eye excretion will be examined and analyzed. The laboratory analysis will determine the kind of pink eye that has taken over the eye, and allow the doctor to prescribe the proper medication.

    Treatment

    • Bacterial conjunctivitis will be treated with eye drops or ointments. Ointments might be more suitable for children who might not be comfortable with eye drops. The symptoms will subside within a few days. The prescribed medication must be continued until the infection is gone. Viral conjunctivitis has no cure. The virus will run its course in two to three weeks. Antiviral medication can be described if the pink eye comes from the herpes simplex virus. Allergic conjunctivitis can be cured with eye drops, antihistamines or anti-inflammatory drops. You can reduce the severity of an allergic pink eye infection by avoiding the allergen.