Types of Conjunctivitis

conjunctivitisAs a mom with little children, anything with the word “contagious” in front of it makes me shutter with fear.  Keeping illness contained is next to impossible with my crew.  That’s why when I woke up this morning and my six-year-old’s eye was glued shut I panicked a little. Conjunctivitis! Ugh!

A quick call to my eye doctor to explain the symptoms confirmed what I already knew.  He’d need some antibiotic drops and would be contagious for a little while, at least until his eyes stopped leaking gunk and looked less angry.  The fact that my one year old woke up later with similar symptoms confirmed it was of the contagious variety!

Because just last week I had similar symptoms that caused me to take a break from wearing my contact lenses, I asked if maybe I was responsible for spreading the pink eye to my sons.  But, at the time, I was convinced my problem was allergy related.  I asked my doctor to explain to me how I could tell the difference. This is what he shared:

Conjunctivitis can be allergic, bacterial, fungal or viral.  All forms of conjunctivitis occur when the clear mucous membrane that covers the white of the eye gets inflamed. We commonly call conjunctivitis “pink eye” because of how red eyes appear when one has it.

Allergic Conjunctivitis

Allergic conjunctivitis is very common and can be triggered by pollen, dander, dust or anything that causes you to have an allergy response.  It is the only form that is not contagious.

Bacterial vs Viral Conjunctivitis

Bacterial conjunctivitis is caused by bacteria that infect the eye through contact with someone infected, exposure to infected surfaces, or through infections.  Viral is much the same and contracted through contact with someone else who has the virus or something that they have touched.  It often accompanies cold or flu like symptoms.

The main difference between bacterial and viral conjunctivitis is the type of discharge.  Usually in the case of bacterial, discharge will be thick and gunky and require antibiotics.  In the case of viral, discharge will be more watery and the eyes will clear up on their own but can be soothed with eye drops or other medicines that help cold symptoms.

When to Replace Contact Lenses

It’s a good idea to take a break from your contact lenses for a few days, or until the redness subsides no matter what type of pink eye you are experiencing.  But, in the case of all forms but allergic conjunctivitis, you’ll need to throw away your lenses, eye make up or anything else that might have come into contact with your eyes while they were red.

If you are experiencing symptoms of pink eye, it’s best to visit your optometrist to find the proper treatment to get your eyes healthy again!

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