Conjunctivitis

Pinkeye is another name for conjunctivitis and is a condition that causes inflammation and redness of the membranes inside the eyes. It causes the whites of your eyes to appear reddish or pink. The disease can be caused by a bacterial or viral infection in addition to an allergic reaction. Pinkeye caused by infection is highly contagious. Many children will develop pink eye at a daycare and spread it to others. For this reason, early diagnosis and treatment is extremely important. Pinkeye can affect one or both eyes. Many times it will start in one eye and then spread to the other. The most common symptoms of pink eye are redness, itching, burning, a gritty feeling in the eye, a discharge that forms a crust during the night that may prevent the eye or eyes from opening in the morning and tearing. If you wear contact lenses, stop using them as soon as your symptoms begin. If your eyes don’t get better within 12 to 24 hours, make an appointment with your eye doctor. He or she can check whether you have a more serious eye infection related to contact lens use. The causes of conjunctivitis include viruses, bacteria, allergies, a chemical splash in the eye or a foreign object in the eye. Viral conjunctivitis usually produces a watery discharge. Bacterial conjunctivitis often produces a thicker, yellow-green discharge. Both types can be associated with colds or symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as a sore throat. Bacterial conjunctivitis is more common in children than it ...
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