Pink Eye Symptoms and Treatment
While children are most likely to get pink eye, adults can develop conjunctivitis as well. Fortunately, this is rarely a medical emergency, but you might need to visit your primary care provider, depending on the condition’s cause. However, it’s also important to monitor your symptoms to determine if you need emergency care. If you do, visit Riverview Health Emergency Room & Urgent Care for treatment.
Common Pink Eye Symptoms
You’ll likely experience mild symptoms if you have conjunctivitis. These symptoms might include:
- Pink or red color on the whites of the eyes
- Swollen eyelids
- Itching
- Burning
- Irritation
- Discharge
- Crusting
How Do You Get Pink Eye?
Have you always wondered what causes pink eye? Bacterial and viral infections are the most common cause, although fungi, parasites, and allergies can also be the culprit. In addition, infants can develop conjunctivitis if their tear ducts fail to open, creating a blockage. In this case, your child will need to see an ophthalmologist.
Is Pink Eye Contagious?
If your condition is a result of a bacterial or viral infection, others can catch it. Thus, you need to avoid touching your eyes and wash your hands often to prevent spreading the infection. However, in cases of allergies or blocked tear ducts, conjunctivitis is not contagious.
Go to the ER for These Pink Eye Symptoms
While most cases are mild, conjunctivitis can turn into an emergency. Visit the ER if you experience:
- Symptoms that worsen over time
- Significant redness
- Blurry vision
- Severe eye pain
- Fever
- Large amounts of discharge
- Light sensitivity
Pink Eye Treatment
It’s estimated that 80 percent of cases of acute conjunctivitis are caused by viruses. Fortunately, viral conjunctivitis typically resolves on its own, although you do need to contact your primary care provider if it lasts for two weeks. In this case, you might need to take antiviral medicine to treat it.
You’re also likely to fully recover from bacterial pink eye without medical intervention. In most cases, the symptoms will clear up within two weeks. However, if your symptoms persist, you can visit the doctor for an antibiotic.
If you suffer from allergic pink eye, the best thing to do is to remove the allergen from your environment. You should notice an immediate improvement. However, if your conjunctivitis is chronic, you might need to visit the doctor for prescription medication to control your allergies.
If you don’t need to go to the doctor, you can manage your symptoms at home. You’ll need to:
- Avoid wearing contact lenses
- Stop wearing eye makeup
- Use a warm compress and lubricating eye drops
You can also take an over-the-counter pain reliever to alleviate the discomfort.
If you have severe symptoms or your condition isn’t improving, visit Riverview Health Emergency Room & Urgent Care. We have five locations in Hamilton County, and you don’t need to make an appointment. Thus, head over so our staff can diagnose and treat your conjunctivitis.
