How to deal with pink eye syndrome?

We've all had it or know someone who has. If you have small children, chances are they have brought it home from school at some point. But what is pink eye and what are the pink eye

symptoms? Is there a cure for pink eye? In this article we will discuss all of this and much more.

What is pink eye syndrome?

Pink eye is also known as conjunctivitis. It is an infection of the thin protective membrane covering the surface of your eyeball and the inner surfaces of your eyelids. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses, and allergens or environmental irritants that you have been exposed to. It is extremely important that you figure out if your pink eye is caused by either an allergen or from an infection because each one it treated differently. If the pink eye is caused by an infection then it is considered to be highly contagious. This is the type your kids will be infected from school. The best way to prevent this infection is to wash your hands frequently. Try your best not to rub your eyes as this can cause it to spread. Never share towels or eye makeup. If you believe that you have pink eye, then you need to go see your eye doctor as soon as possible.

Is it contagio us?

If your pink eye was caused by a viral infection, then it is highly contagious. You have to take great care to not spread this to other people. Whether you believe you have this type of pink eye or not, it is still a good idea that you get in to see your eye care professional as quickly as you can. There is a cure for pink eye and the quicker you treat your pink eye, the faster it will go away.

What are its symptoms?

The symptoms of conjunctivitis vary slightly depending on what type of pink eye that you have. If you have viral pink eye, then your symptoms may include a watery discharge which is green or yellow in color. Your eyelids may swell and sometimes if you look at bright lights it may cause you pain. This type of pink eye usually clears up between seven to ten days.

Bacteria pink eye is usually caused by three different viruses called staphylococci, pneumococci, and streptococci. This type of pink eye can cause you eye pain, swelling, redness, and a fairly good amount of yellowish or greenish discharge. The discharge will usually gather while you are asleep and you may wake up with your eyes shut with glue. The best way to solve this is to take a warm, wet washcloth and gently wipe your eyes. This is the perfect home remedy for pink eye.

If you have the allergic type of pink eye, then you should expect to have intense itching, tearing, and some swelling of the membranes of the eye. This type of conjunctivitis is usually seasonal and is accompanied by other allergy symptoms.

Treatment options

Now that you know the symptoms, what is is the treatment for pink eye? We'll discuss the pink eye remedies for each type of pink eye.

Viral conjunctiva treatment

This type of pink eye is highly contagious but it can definitely be treated. Although this type of pink eye may not require antibiotics, it is still important that you go see your eye doctor. This form of pink eye is commonly associated with an infection of the cornea. This makes it extremely important to get this type correctly detected and treated.

Bacterial conjunctiva treatment

One of the best treatments for the bacterial form of pink eye is a warm, wet washcloth applied to the eyes. This will loosen up any discharge that has sealed your eyes shut so that it can be wiped away as you can see again. Your eye care physician can provide you a prescription for some antibiotic eye drops or some ointment to treat this type. Never use the medication that is left over from a previous bout of pink eye. They could be the wrong type of treatment for your current condition and could even make it worse.

Allergic conjunctive treatment

For this type of pink eye, a cold, moist washcloth works best. Especially if you accompany that with some counter decongestant eye drops. If this doesn't seem to work for you, then your eye doctor can prescribe some stronger medication as treatment. On the other hand, your allergic pink eye was caused by getting a chemical in your eye, it is extremely important that you quickly douse your eyes with water and flush them out thoroughly. Then call your doctor or your local poison control immediately.

Do's and Don'ts for People with pink eye

First off, do call your doctor. You will need to go in to see him or her so that they can correctly diagnose your f pink eye. Always take the medicine that they give you for the specified amount of time. Wash your hands thoroughly and often so you don't possibly spread it to someone else. If you wear make-up, don't share it with anyone. It can transfer your infection to them. Do your best not to rub your eyes. This will further irritate your condition and could make it worse or spread it to your other eye. Use a moist washcloth to wipe away any discharge that gathers in your eye.

Now that you know what conjunctivitis is and what the pink eye symptoms are, you can treat it better. The best cure for pink eye, of course, is to visit your doctor.