Conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye, is a non-threatening yet highly uncomfortable infection of the eye that presents at all ages. It’s caused by both viral and bacterial infections, which results in eye irritation, increased tear production and discomfort of the eye.
The condition is highly contagious, infecting possibly anyone who comes into contact with it.
With that being said, you don’t really always have to go to a doctor if you get conjunctivitis.
There are some home-remedies that you can try out before you let a doctor intervene. Some of these treatments, depending on the type of pink-eye you have, include:
Viral Pink Eye
There is really no treatment method for viral pink eye; it usually resolves itself over within a week or two without treatment. If you feel that the discomfort has become unbearable, you should visit your doctor who could prescribe eye-drops and pain relievers to help you manage the condition.
Bacterial Pink-Eye
Bacterial pink-eye can actually be managed through the use of antibiotics which can eliminate the bacteria causing the infection. Although the antibiotics will be prescribed by your doctor, you might also want to try using lubricating eye-drops to see if there is any improvement in your condition.
You should also try to compress your eyes with a damp cloth. For this, you should take a cloth soaked in warm water that you should lay on your eyes until it cools down.
This can help reduce some of the inflammation of the eye. In addition to this, the soaking can also help wipe away the mucus that keeps forcing your eyes shut.
Allergic Pink-Eye
Allergic pink-eye will persist for as long as you are in contact with whatever is causing the allergies. Although you can visit your doctor to help manage the allergy itself, to completely be rid of allergic pink-eye you will have to see what’s causing the allergy.
To help with the symptoms of allergic pink-eye you can take allergy medication, try to soak your eyes with a cold damp cloth and take over the counter anti-allergy drops to help with the irritation.
Dr Gilberg and Associates offer expert eye doctors in north miami beach. Our services include contact lens examinations, digital eye tests and eye clinic miami for numerous eye-related conditions. Get in touch with us today for more information on our services.