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The discharge of pus in the eye area is a consequence of the development of infection in the conjunctival sac. Bacteria multiply rapidly, and the body reacts through the formation of suppuration. In this case, it is necessary to consult an ophthalmologist. He determines the cause that caused suppuration, and methods of treatment.
It is dangerous to deal with this inflammation of the eyes on your own. Suppurations can be symptoms of complex diseases that, if not properly treated, lead to various complications.
Why do eyes fester?
The following factors and diseases provoke suppuration:
Keratitis
This inflammation of the cornea causes visual impairment and a decrease in its sharpness. Suppuration is one of the main symptoms of keratitis. The presence of the disease is also evidenced by pain in the eyeball, photophobia, eyelid spasms. Visually, you can notice clouding of the cornea and redness due to rupture of the smallest capillaries. As keratitis develops, patients complain of visual impairment: it gradually becomes difficult for them to distinguish between small objects, read for a long time or work at a computer.
The causes of keratitis are injuries and burns, neurogenic factors. Diagnosis of the disease is carried out on the basis of clinical manifestations, by examining the eyeball and eyelid. Herpes may be the cause of keratitis. Its virus infects the cornea, causing vascular ingrowth into it and the formation of ulcers. If keratitis is caused by an infection, its treatment involves the use of ointments and drops with antibiotics. When herpes is recognized as the causative agent, antiviral drugs are more effective.
With proper and timely treatment of keratitis, the transparency of the cornea and visual acuity are completely restored. Among the negative consequences of keratitis is the formation of a walleye, blindness.
Barley
Every second person encounters this unpleasant phenomenon at least once in a lifetime. Barley is an inflammation of the sebaceous glands located at the edges of the eyelids. The sebaceous secret secreted by them softens the skin of the eyelids and protects it from wetting. With excessive secretions of this substance, clogging occurs, and an environment favorable for the development of infection is formed. All this provokes the inflammatory process. At the border of the century, an abscess appears, which matures over time, which is accompanied by severe pain. Sometimes the infection does not require treatment. But this approach is possible only if the patient has strong immunity.
Among the causative agents of barley, the most common are staphylococcal bacterium and demodicosis. In the first case, infection occurs through dirty hands, with which the patient rubs his eyes, touches his face. Staphylococcal bacterium, getting into the hair follicle, affects the sebaceous glands. In children, it is this pathogen that causes barley.
Demodicosis is the smallest mite that settles at the base of the eyelashes and provokes itching. A person can become infected with it from animals through close contact. The presence of demodicosis on the eyelashes causes an acute desire in patients to scratch their eyes. As a result of friction, a secondary infection develops, severe inflammation appears with the formation of suppuration. Get rid of purulent discharge after the ripening of barley should not be. Pressing on the tumor can spread the infection throughout the eye.
Therefore, it is necessary to treat barley with antiseptic agents, among which miramistin is recognized as the most effective. However, this drug acts in the initial stages of infection. In addition, for the treatment of barley, a tetracycline ointment is placed behind the eyelid, the eye is carefully treated with an infiltrate of ethyl alcohol (70%). Despite the fact that it is impossible to squeeze out the contents of the abscess, it is necessary to carefully remove the purulent discharge that appears on the surface of the eye and eyelid.
Allergy
Suppuration in this case is manifested only with severe inflammation. It is caused by prolonged exposure to an irritant on the body.
It is the conjunctiva that becomes inflamed due to allergies, so this phenomenon is known as allergic conjunctivitis. It manifests itself in the form of inflammation of the mucous membrane, the formation of follicles, in the later stages of the development of the disease, the eyes begin to fester. Treatment of allergic conjunctivitis is carried out with the help of traditional therapy, including the use of antihistamines.
Trachoma
It also causes the formation of pus in the eye area. This infection, the causative agent of which is chlamydia, goes through several stages in its development.
In the beginning, inflammation affects the epithelial cells of the cornea and conjunctiva, after which it spreads to deeper tissues, the cartilage of the eyelids. At one of the stages, the eyes begin to fester, a purulent substance is released from the formed boils, after which scarring begins.
Trachoma is treated with antibiotics and sulfa drugs. In severe cases, tetracycline ointment, placed behind the eyelid, is combined with erythromycin, doxycycline. If such therapy is ineffective, resort to surgical intervention. It is impossible to do without it with deep scarring.
Conjunctivitis
This is the most common cause of suppuration that forms in the eyes. Conjunctivitis, depending on the causes of its occurrence, is bacterial, chronic, acute epidemic, gonorrheal.
The main symptoms of the disease: redness, tearing, itching, burning, formation and discharge of pus. With gonorrheal conjunctivitis, for example, pus appears mixed with blood, and as a result this can lead to a perforated ulcer and loss of vision. Therefore, it is important to start treatment of the disease in a timely manner.
If the eyes begin to fester, it means that conjunctivitis is moving into a dangerous stage, when it is necessary to resort to radical methods of therapy in order to improve the condition of the eyes as soon as possible.
Festering eyes in a newborn
In the first few months of life, the immune system of the child is very weak. The body during this period is largely susceptible to various infections, among which there are those that provoke suppuration in the eye area. Careful care of the baby, washing and compresses helps to avoid this. In the first weeks of life, eyelashes often stick together, lacrimation, and pus formation in the lower eyelid are observed. It is in this form that dacryocystitis and conjunctivitis are manifested in newborns.
Why do the eyes of a newborn fester?
The main reason for the formation of suppuration is dacryocystitis. The disease is caused by inflammation of the lacrimal sac due to the stagnation of tears in the eyes and thus the formation of an environment for the reproduction and development of pathogenic bacteria. All this happens due to the fact that the child does not open the nasolacrimal canal. After a few weeks, this problem is solved naturally. But sometimes the rupture of the nasolacrimal canal has to be carried out during surgery. The formation of pus in the eyes indicates the need for surgery.
In newborns, it provokes suppuration in the eyes and infectious conjunctivitis. A child can become infected with it from the mother during childbirth or when communicating with a sick person. To avoid this, at first you should try to be less in public places, limit contacts with people who suffer from various infections. If the child was infected from the mother during childbirth, the first signs of the disease will become apparent on the second or third day of life. They are manifested in the fact that the eyelids of the newborn stick together, pus forms in the corners.
Than to treat?
As part of the prevention of dacryocystitis, immediately after birth, a special drug is instilled into the child’s eyes. However, this may not be enough. The mother can help the newborn cope with the disease. It is enough just to remove the released pus in time with a cotton swab, after wetting it with an antiseptic solution. In this case, it is necessary to keep the child’s head from the back of the head, so as not to damage the eyes with an unexpected movement of the baby.
A special massage of the lacrimal sac helps break the film that prevents the outflow of tears. It is performed with the little finger, you should first ask the attending physician to demonstrate the technique of its implementation. To enhance the effect, antibacterial drops are used.
The discharge of pus may be due to poor child care. Therefore, if the eyes are festering, they must be washed more often, instilled with drops prescribed by the doctor, and put ointment behind the eyelid.
How to treat if the eyes fester?
Before treatment aimed at getting rid of suppuration in the eyes, you should consult an ophthalmologist to identify the causes of this phenomenon. The doctor will make a diagnosis, on the basis of which therapy is selected. So, with conjunctivitis, complex treatment includes washing the eyes with tincture of chamomile and calendula, strongly brewed black tea, laying antibacterial ointments behind the eyelid, and using drops. If the eyes fester due to an allergic reaction, it is necessary to identify the irritant, eliminate it and fight inflammation. Suppurations caused by colds, flu disappear after the patient has completely recovered.
As part of the prevention, it is necessary to monitor personal hygiene. Often with a runny nose, a handkerchief is used for the nose, and then the eyes are wiped with it. Thus, the infection spreads. As a result, the eyes may begin to fester. The use of someone else’s cosmetics, towels, pillows leads to a similar effect. It is very important during the treatment of infections that caused suppuration to instill the medicine in both eyes, similarly to lay the ointment behind the eyelid. This is due to the fact that all organs and their systems in the body are interconnected. By acting on one eye, the medicine simultaneously has an effect on the other. In addition, the infection spreads very quickly. If treatment is directed to only one eye, inflammation may soon affect the other.
Tetracycline ointment. To eliminate suppuration, ointments are used, tetracycline is considered the most effective. This drug is used to relieve inflammation, which is caused by infection with microorganisms, it also has an antibacterial effect. The active ingredient in the ointment is tetracycline. Along with it, it also includes anhydrous lanolin and medical vaseline. Tetracycline has bacteriostatic properties, due to which it fights against staphylococcus, streptococcus, chlamydia, gonococcus and some other pathogens that provoke inflammation of the eyes with suppuration.
Ointment is usually prescribed for keratitis, trachoma, conjunctivitis of various types, blepharitis. It must be applied over the eyelid several times a day. Tetracycline ointment sometimes causes photophobia and an allergic reaction, so it should be treated under the supervision of an ophthalmologist. In addition, it has a special property to accumulate in the enamel and dentin of erupting teeth in children, which affects their color. A significant advantage of tetracycline ointment is its low price.
Floxal. Not inferior to her in terms of effectiveness, the drug is “Floxal”. This eye ointment has an antimicrobial effect, is used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases caused by various microorganisms. Can be used if eyes fester with blepharitis, barley, conjunctivitis, dacryocystitis, eye injury, chlamydial infection, corneal ulcer. Similar to tetracycline, this ointment is applied over the eyelid several times a day. The course of treatment should not exceed 14 days.
Among the side effects of the drug there is increased sensitivity to light, burning, itching, discomfort in the eyes. During the treatment of suppuration with Floxal ointment, contact lenses should not be worn. Sunglasses are recommended to avoid exposure to ultraviolet radiation. After undergoing a course of treatment with Floxal, visual acuity may decrease.
Author of the article: Degtyareva Marina Vitalievna, ophthalmologist, ophthalmologist