Allergy medications and certain eye drops topical antihistamine and vasoconstrictors , including some prescription eye drops, can also provide relief from allergic conjunctivitis. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a combination of drugs to improve symptoms.
Your doctor can help if you have conjunctivitis caused by an allergy. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Conjunctivitis Pink Eye. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Minus Related Pages. Viral Conjunctivitis Most cases of viral conjunctivitis are mild.
Bacterial Conjunctivitis. Top of Page. Viral and bacterial conjunctivitis are highly contagious. Therefore, you must make sure pink eye symptoms are no longer present before heading back to work or sending your children back to school.
However, there are a few additional treatment options you can try to lessen the symptoms of pink eye. These include:. Preventing the spread of pink eye starts with proper hygiene habits and disinfectant practices—especially in a daycare or school setting with children.
The number one way you can prevent conjunctivitis from spreading is to always wash your hands before and after touching your face or eye area. It is especially crucial if you or someone in your family has been diagnosed with viral or bacterial conjunctivitis to wash all towels and bedding and to disinfect all common areas.
Whether or not you are currently experiencing any symptoms of eye diseases, like pink eye, it is essential to maintain regular eye care appointments. Today, many eye conditions are detectable earlier on, so scheduling regular eye care visits may save your vision in the future. Call Campus Eye Center today to schedule an appointment at one of our locations in the Lancaster, Pa. Our mission at Campus Eye Center is to help our patients protect and preserve their vision for years to come.
We offer total vision care including contact lenses and revolutionary Lasik eye surgery at our eye and laser center. All Rights Reserved. What Is Pink Eye? Other symptoms to watch out for with this eye disease include: Watery or burning eyes Itchiness Eye pain Light sensitivity Eye discharge that may feel sticky or gritty Not All Types of Pink Eye Are the Same You can get pink eye several ways, and each may present with differing symptoms.
Viral Conjunctivitis The most common cause of conjunctivitis is viral infections. Bacterial Conjunctivitis Bacteria may get into your eyes from anywhere—your hands, unclean contact lenses , or from everyday interactions with others. Irritant Conjunctivitis Irritants like chemicals, pollutants, and foreign objects can also cause conjunctivitis.
How Long Is Conjunctivitis Contagious? These include: Cold or warm compresses Remove contact lenses and wear only glasses until symptoms have cleared up Lubricating eye drops Stop using and replace any eye makeup Tips for Preventing Pink Eye Preventing the spread of pink eye starts with proper hygiene habits and disinfectant practices—especially in a daycare or school setting with children. In most cases, you won't need antibiotic eyedrops. Since conjunctivitis is usually viral, antibiotics won't help, and may even cause harm by reducing their effectiveness in the future or causing a medication reaction.
Instead, the virus needs time to run its course — up to two or three weeks. Viral conjunctivitis often begins in one eye and then infects the other eye within a few days. Your signs and symptoms should gradually clear on their own.
Antiviral medications may be an option if your doctor determines that your viral conjunctivitis is caused by the herpes simplex virus. If the irritation is allergic conjunctivitis, your doctor may prescribe one of many different types of eyedrops for people with allergies.
These may include medications that help control allergic reactions, such as antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers, or drugs that help control inflammation, such as decongestants, steroids and anti-inflammatory drops.
Over-the-counter eyedrops that contain antihistamines and anti-inflammatory medications also may be effective. Ask your doctor if you're not sure which product to use. You may also reduce the severity of your allergic conjunctivitis symptoms by avoiding whatever causes your allergies when possible. Start by seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner if you have any eye-related signs or symptoms that worry you.
If your signs and symptoms persist or get worse, despite treatment, your doctor may refer you to an eye specialist ophthalmologist. Because appointments can be brief, and because there's often a lot of ground to cover, it's a good idea to be well prepared for your appointment.
Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment and what to expect from your doctor. Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions can help you make the most of your time together. List your questions from most important to least important in case time runs out.
For pink eye, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:. In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask additional questions. Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions.
Being ready to answer them may allow time later to cover points you want to address. Your doctor may ask:. Stop using contact lenses until you can see your doctor.
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