Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis is the Inflammation or infection of the outer membrane of the eyeball and the inner eyelid, it is also known by the name pink eye. Conjunctivitis can be considered as allergic , viral or bacterial .
Signs and symptoms
1) Pinkness, intense redness of the eye
2) Burning sensation of grittiness
3)mild pain or discomfort in the eye
4)Watery discharge from the eye sometimes with a small amount of mucus
5)Crustiness around the eyelids upon waking in the morning
6)Swollen, red eyelids
7)Slight sensitivity to bright lightSwelling of the lymph nodes in the front of the ears
8)Other symptoms of viral infection , e.g runny nose , sore throat and cough.
Prevention
1)Avoiding contact with people who have pink eye
2)Maintaining good hygiene such as washing your hands often with soap and water or using hand sanitizer (you can get a good hand sanitizer from Troop Pharmacy as well as other pharmacies )
3)Avoiding touching your eyes when your hands are not clean
4)Cleaning your spectacles
5)Avoiding touching the eyes other than when treating them as this can spread the virus or the bacteria
6)Washing pillowcases and towels often and avoid sharing them with others
7)Avoid sharing makeup and eye drops
8)When necessary staying off school or work until symptoms of viral or bacterial conjunctivitis have cleared
9)Avoiding the use of general swimming pools
Treatment
Mild forms can be cured within 1-3 weeks
1)Applying a cold or warm compress , a clean cloth that has been soaked in water to the eye
2)Gently cleaning discharge from the eye with a clean cloth , sterile pad, cotton wool soaked in clean water or normal saline
3)Applying lubricating eye drops to the eye such as artificial tears which are available without a prescription and care must be taken not to use the drops in the other eye if only one eye is infected
4)Applying of antihistamine/decongestant eye drops which are often available in pharmacy without a prescription will reduce the pain and irritations or discomfort.
5)Antibiotics may be needed but these should be recommended by your health provider or optometrist.
Drugs used in viral conjunctivitis must also be only on prescription after proper diagnosis by the Opthalmologist or Optometrist. These are mostly
-idoxuridine
-acyclovir
-famciclovir
-valacyclovir
-ganciclovir
-Foscarnet.
Conjunctivitis can be very uncomfortable and appear to be quite prevalent during the dry season / Harmattan period in Nigeria .
We hope this coming season however will be a more soothing one????
