When eyes sting and water… Conjunctivitis – what should you know?

Conjunctivitis is one of the most common eye diseases. Its causes can be very different. They are divided into infectious, i.e. related to the action of viruses and bacteria, and non-infectious, i.e. arising as a result of physical, chemical irritation or allergies.

The conjunctiva is a very sensitive tissue. When one of the irritating or infectious factors starts to act on it, inflammation occurs. The characteristic symptom of this disease is red eyes, because the conjunctiva contains many blood vessels, which during inflammation dilate and fill with blood.

Characteristic symptoms and recommended treatment

• Baking,
• Itch,
• Pain,
• The feeling of sand under the eyelids,
• Sometimes mucopurulent discharge in the conjunctival sac (mainly with bacterial infections).

When there is inflammation, the eyeball is exposed to harmful factors. The conjunctiva does not protect the eye as it should, so you should act as soon as possible. At the first symptoms, you can use eye drops available in pharmacies – from skylight, artificial tears, etc., and if after 2-3 days the symptoms do not subside, it is necessary to visit an ophthalmologist.

It will determine the cause of the problem, as they can be very different. If the inflammation is caused by allergy>>allergy, we will receive a different type of medication than in the case of, for example, bacterial inflammation. The type of inflammation is determined by talking to the patient and examining the eye with a slit lamp.

Do you suffer from conjunctivitis? Be sure to follow these rules!

1. Do not discontinue medication prematurely. The started treatment should be completed. If you do it too soon, the disease can come back quickly. The treatment recommended by the doctor should last as long as the specialist has determined.
2. Do not exacerbate the disease by rubbing your eyes with your hands. While the temptation to rub is great because they itch, it will make your condition worse. Exercise your willpower!
3. Don’t go swimming when you have conjunctivitis because chlorinated water irritates the eyes.
4. If the symptoms are very strong, give up wearing lenses for a while. If it’s a mild form of inflammation, wash them more often than usual.
5. Protect the affected conjunctiva from light, i.e. wear sunglasses.
6. If there is discharge, remove it gently with a cotton bud or tissue. Throw them away immediately, do not use the same stick several times.
7. Do not wash your eyes with tea or chamomile infusion, because they will not cure this disease. Much better eyewash, which you will find in any pharmacy.
8. If you are often away from home, bet on preparations in the form of ointments, not drops. The latter flow out quickly, so you have to use them on average every 3 hours, and the ointments will cover the conjunctiva with a long-lasting layer.
9. Wash your makeup off when you get home, and ideally don’t use eye cosmetics at all during this period.