Conjunctivitis, boy if that doesn’t sound like a life-threatening disease or something, maybe that is why most medical professionals and people, in general, refer to conjunctivitis by its more common name, pink eye. Pink eye is a highly contagious infection of the eye typically seen among young children and school-age kids. Pink eye is an inflammation of the thin clear covering of the white of the eye, as well as the inside of the eyelids. It really is harmless you won’t go blind or suffer long term damage to your vision from having a bought of pink eye, so no need to worry.
Conjunctivitis can be caused by several different things, basically, anything that can irritate the eye and cause inflammation. There are three primary types of pink eye, viral, bacterial and allergic conjunctivitis. Viral and bacterial are contagious whereas the allergic pink eye is not. Viral pink eye is normally spread by coughing or sneezing and bacterial is spread through direct contact with infected hands or items that have touched the eye.
Typically pink eye will go away on its own but if you are really in discomfort you can seek out the help from your doctor and they will normally prescribe an antibiotic eye drop or ointment. There are also many natural remedies using items you may already have at home.
The best way to treat pink eye is to avoid getting it all together. Here are some tips to prevent pink eye…
- Never share personal items like washcloths, tissues, makeup, etc.
- Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing and then wash your hands
- Avoid touching your eyes, even if your hands are clean.
- Wash your hands frequently
- Send hand sanitizer to school with the kids to help them keep their hand’s germ-free.
- When swimming wear goggles
- Teach children proper hand washing techniques and proper hygiene.
- If your child shows signs of the pink eye it is best to keep them home from school and any extracurricular activities to prevent the spread of it.