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Sore Eyes (Conjunctivitis/Pink Eyes)

Conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye, is an inflammation of the clear membrane covering the eye and inner eyelid. It can be caused by viruses, bacteria, allergies, chemicals, or dryness. Symptoms include eye redness, discharge, itching, pain, and blurred vision. Treatment depends on the cause but may include artificial tears, cold compresses, antibiotics, or antihistamines. Good hygiene can help prevent spreading conjunctivitis.

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174 views21 pages

Sore Eyes (Conjunctivitis/Pink Eyes)

Conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye, is an inflammation of the clear membrane covering the eye and inner eyelid. It can be caused by viruses, bacteria, allergies, chemicals, or dryness. Symptoms include eye redness, discharge, itching, pain, and blurred vision. Treatment depends on the cause but may include artificial tears, cold compresses, antibiotics, or antihistamines. Good hygiene can help prevent spreading conjunctivitis.

Uploaded by

Diana Mae
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Sore Eyes

(Conjunctivitis/Pink Eyes)
About Sore Eyes

Conjunctivitis, commonly known as pinkeye, is an


inflammation of the conjunctiva, the clear membrane
that covers the white part of the eye and the inner
surface of the eyelids.
By cause
• Allergic conjunctivitis
• Bacterial conjunctivitis
• Viral conjunctivitis
• Chemical conjunctivitis
• Neonatal conjunctivitis is often defined
separately due to different organisms
Viral
• Viral conjunctivitis is often associated with an infection of
the upper respiratory tract, a common cold, and/or a
sore throat. Its symptoms include watery discharge and
variable itch. The infection usually begins with one eye,
but may spread easily to the other.
Bacterial
• Bacterial conjunctivitis due to the common 1 (pus-
producing) bacteria causes marked grittiness/irritation
and a stringy, opaque, greyish or yellowish mucopurulent
discharge that may cause the lids to stick together,
especially after sleep.
Bacterial
• . The more acute pyogenic infections can be painful. Like
viral conjunctivitis, it usually affects only one eye but may
spread easily to the other eye. However, it is dormant in
the eye for three days before the patient shows signs of
symptoms. Need to be seen by a doctor to determine
what kind of pink eye you have - bacteria or viral.
Chemical
• Chemical eye injury is due to either an acidic or alkali
substance getting in the eye. Alkalis are typically worse
than acidic burns.Mild burns will produce conjunctivitis
while more severe burns may cause the cornea to turn
white.Litmus paper is an easy way to rule out the
diagnosis by verifying that the pH is within the normal
range of 7.0—7.2.Large volumes of irrigation is the
treatment of choice and should continue until the pH is 6
—8.Local anaesthetic eye drops can be used to
decrease the pain
Chemical
• Irritant or toxic conjunctivitis show primarily marked
redness. If due to splash injury, it is often present only in
the lower conjunctival sac. With some chemicals, above
all, with caustic alkalis such as sodium hydroxide—there
may be necrosis of the conjunctiva with a deceptively
white eye due to vascular closure, followed by sloughing
of the dead epithelium. This is likely to be associated
with slit-lamp evidence of anterior uveitis.

sodium hydr
oxide
Pinkeye in Newborns
• Newborns are particularly susceptible to pinkeye and
can be more prone to serious health complications if it
goes untreated.
• If a baby is born to a mother who has an STD, during
delivery the bacteria or virus can pass from the birth
canal into the baby's eyes, causing pinkeye. To prevent
this, doctors give antibiotic ointment or eye drops to all
babies immediately after birth. Occasionally, this
preventive treatment causes a mild chemical
conjunctivitis, which typically clears up on its own.
Doctors also can screen pregnant women for STDs and
treat them during pregnancy to prevent transmission of
the infection to the baby.
Pinkeye in Newborns

• Many babies are born with a narrow or blocked tear duct,


a condition which usually clears up on its own.
Sometimes, though, it can lead to conjunctivitis.
Causes

• Conjunctivitis is most commonly caused by viral


infection, but bacterial infections, allergies, other irritants
and dryness are also common etiologies for its
occurrence. Both bacterial and viral infections are
contagious. Commonly, conjunctival infections are
passed from person-to-person, but can also spread
through contaminated objects or water.
Causes

• The most common cause of viral conjunctivitis is


adenoviruses. Herpetic keratoconjunctivitis (caused by
herpes simplex viruses) can be serious and requires
treatment with acyclovir. Acute hemorrhagic
conjunctivitis is a highly contagious disease caused by
one of two enteroviruses, Enterovirus 70 and
Coxsackievirus A24. These were first identified in an
outbreak in Ghana in 1969 and have spread worldwide
since then, causing several epidemics.
Signs and symptoms
• Conjunctivitis is a relatively non-specific symptom. Even
after bio microscopy, laboratory tests are often
necessary if proof of etiology is needed.
• A purulent discharge (a whitish-yellow, yellow or yellow-
brown substance more commonly known as pus)
strongly suggests a cause from fecal matter, unless
there is known exposure to toxins. It can also be caused
by bacteria from feces, pet hair, or by smoke or other
fumes. Infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae should be
suspected if the discharge is particularly thick and
copious.
Signs and symptoms
• Itching (rubbing eyes) is the hallmark
symptom of allergic conjunctivitis. Other
symptoms include past history of eczema, or
asthma.
• A diffuse, less "injected" conjunctivitis (looking
pink rather than red) suggests a viral cause,
especially if numerous follicles are present on
the lower tarsal conjunctiva on bio
microscopy.
• Scarring of the tarsal conjunctiva suggests
trachoma, especially if seen in endemic areas,
if the scarring is linear (von Arlt's line), or if
there is also corneal vascularisation.
Signs and symptoms
• Other symptoms including pain, blurring of vision and
photophobia should not be prominent in conjunctivitis.
Fluctuating blurring is common, due to tearing and
mucoid discharge. Mild photophobia is common.
However, if any of these symptoms are prominent, it is
important to exclude other diseases such as glaucoma,
uveitis, keratitis and even meningitis or
caroticocavernous fistula.
Management
• Conjunctivitis resolves in 65% of cases without
treatment, within 2 – 5 days. The prescribing of
antibiotics to most cases is not necessary
Allergic
• For the allergic type, cool water poured over the face
with the head inclined downward constricts capillaries,
and artificial tears sometimes relieve discomfort in mild
cases. In more severe cases,
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications and
antihistamines may be prescribed. Persistent allergic
conjunctivitis may also require topical steroid drops.
Bacterial

• Bacterial conjunctivitis usually resolves without


treatment. Antibiotics, eye drops, or ointment are thus
only needed if no improvement is observed after 3 days.
In patients receiving no antibiotics recovery was in 4.8
days, immediate antibiotics 3.3 days, delayed antibiotics
3.9 days. No serious effects were noted either with or
without treatment
Viral

• Although there is no specific treatment for viral


conjunctivitis, symptomatic relief may be achieved with
cold compresses and artificial tears. People are often
advised to avoid touching their eyes or sharing towels
and washcloths.
Chemical
• Conjunctivitis due to chemicals is treated via irrigation
with Ringer's lactate or saline solution. Chemical injuries
(particularly alkali burns) are medical emergencies as
they can lead to severe scarring, and intraocular
damage.Do not touch your eyes. Even if you washed
your hands still no touching. This may cause it to spread
on to another eye.

Ringer's lactate
saline solution
Prevention:
Good hygiene can help prevent the spread of conjunctivitis:
• Keep hands away from the eye.
• Wash the hands frequently.
• Change pillowcases frequently.
• Replace eye cosmetics regularly.
• Do not share eye cosmetics.
• Do not share towels or handkerchiefs.
• Handle and clean contact lenses properly.

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