Conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye, can cause uncomfortable symptoms like itching and tearing that can affect your daily activities. At Brinegar Eye Care in Bloomington, IN, we provide eye exams to learn more about your condition and treatment to relieve your discomfort. Before scheduling your appointment, learn more about conjunctivitis below:
Symptoms of Conjunctivitis
Pink eye can occur in both eyes or only one eye. However, if it develops in only one eye, it can also spread to the other. When you have the infection, you may experience itchy eyes, redness, a gritty sensation, stringy discharge in the affected eye, and light sensitivity. If you have any of these symptoms, it’s important to seek treatment as soon as possible.
Causes of Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis can happen due to bacteria, viruses, allergies, or other causes, such as exposure to chemicals. Viruses and bacteria cause many cases of pink eye. In some cases, you may have certain symptoms in addition to others, such as a cough or a sore throat. Bacterial pink eye can also occur if you wear contact lenses that haven’t been thoroughly cleaned. While allergic conductivities is not contagious, viral and bacterial conjunctivitis are highly contagious.
Diagnosing Conjunctivitis
Our eye doctor can examine your eyes and determine the cause of your infection. In rare cases, you might need to have a tear drainage test, such as when you have a severe bacterial infection. Depending on the cause of pink eye, our optometrist, Dr. Brinegar, will recommend the necessary treatment.
Treatment for Conjunctivitis
How is pink eye treated? Viral pink eye tends to clear up on its own, so treatment usually involves easing your symptoms. You might need to use artificial tears and keep your eyelids clean. Along with that, putting compresses on your eyes might also provide relief. For bacterial pink eye, you’ll need to use antibiotic eye drops to clear up the infection. Keep in mind that you should avoid wearing contacts until pink eye is gone. You’ll also need to disinfect your contact lenses before wearing them again. For allergic pink eye, we might recommend eye drops that help with allergic reactions.
Contact us for an Appointment Today!
If you are experiencing symptoms of pink eye, let our team at Brindegar Eye care in Bloomington, IN, help. To learn more about our treatments or to schedule your appointment, contact our office at (812) 339-7995 today. When you’re seeking an optometrist near me, we are ready to assist!