Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis means inflammation of the conjunctiva or the thin skin covering the eye.

Causes
•    Allergy to pollen, house dust mite, cosmetics and animals.
•    Infection by bacteria and viruses.
•    Irritants (such as the chlorine in swimming pools or shampoos)

Allergy

Symptoms
•    Itching
•    Watery eyes
•    Burning sensation
•    Swelling and puffy eyes
•    Vision is not usually affected

Treatment
•    Avoid the cause (see Hayfever link)
•    Eye drops. These can be obtained from the pharmacist
•    Antihistamines. These can be obtained from the pharmacist and are taken by mouth.
•    Don’t wear contact lenses when your eyes are bad,

Infection

Symptoms
•    Mild soreness of the eye
•    Gritty eyes
•    Slight redness to the eye
•    Discharge from the eye which is gluey
•    Vision is usually ok but you can have some blurring due to the discharge.

Treatment
•    Bathe the eyes with cool water to remove the discharge
•    Most conjunctivitis can settle down within a couple of days. The pharmacist can advise you. Topical antibiotics are available from the pharmacist.
•    Don’t wear contact lenses until the infection has subsided
•    Remember conjunctivitis is contagious so wash hands and don’t share towels etc.

More severe conjunctivitis
•    Symptoms are not settling
•    Pain
•    Vision is affected
•    Blisters or spots around the eyes

Causes of more severe conjunctivitis
•    The cold sore virus can cause an eye infection. It tends to cause pain and there may be blisters around the eye
•    The adenovirus causes a more prolonged conjunctivitis with considerable redness.
•    Chlamydia

Please visit your GP if you have any anxieties about your symptoms.