CONJUNCTIVITIS (Red Eye)
Conjunctivitis (Red Eye) is an inflammation or swelling of the thin clear tissue that lines the inner surface of the eyelid and covers the white part of the eye.
Symptoms
​
-
Redness in eyes
-
Burning and intense itching
-
Tearing with a swollen lymph node under the jaw or in front of the ear
-
A discharge of mucus that cause lid crusting
-
Slight blurring of vision
​
Causes
-
Virus infection. Red eye cause by virus infection is very contagious, but usually will clear up on its own without medical treatment after few days to a week.
-
Bacterial infection. This red eye condition can cause serious damage to the eye if left untreated.
-
Allergy. Various irritants can cause eye inflammation eg. pollen, dust, dry air and animal dander
​
-
Other possible causes of eye redness include chemical exposure, trauma or injury to the eye, sudden increase in eye pressure that results in pain (acute glaucoma), overuse of contact lenses, through sexually transmited diseases (STD) and foreign body. These are serious conditions causing eye redness that medical treatment is needed urgently.
Treatment for Conjunctivitis
Treatment depends on type of conjunctivitis you have through the diagnosis by your doctor base on your symptoms and recent health history. Among the treatments are:
- Antibiotic eye drops or ointments
-
Allergy medications
-
Antiviral medications
-
Eye lid cleaning and warm compression
-
Artificial tears
