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If your symptoms don't start to get better within 12 to 24 hours, make an appointment with your eye doctor to make sure you don't have a more serious eye infection related to contact lens use. Most cases of pink eye are typically caused by adenovirus but can also be caused by herpes simplex virus, varicella-zoster virus, and various other viruses, including the virus that causes coronavirus disease COVID Both viral and bacterial conjunctivitis can occur along with colds or symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as a sore throat.
Wearing contact lenses that aren't cleaned properly or aren't your own can cause bacterial conjunctivitis. Both types are very contagious. They are spread through direct or indirect contact with the liquid that drains from the eye of someone who's infected. One or both eyes may be affected. Allergic conjunctivitis affects both eyes and is a response to an allergy-causing substance such as pollen.
In response to allergens, your body produces an antibody called immunoglobulin E IgE. This antibody triggers special cells called mast cells in the mucous lining of your eyes and airways to release inflammatory substances, including histamines. Your body's release of histamine can produce a number of allergy signs and symptoms, including red or pink eyes. If you have allergic conjunctivitis, you may experience intense itching, tearing and inflammation of the eyes — as well as sneezing and watery nasal discharge.
Most allergic conjunctivitis can be controlled with allergy eyedrops. Irritation from a chemical splash or foreign object in your eye is also associated with conjunctivitis. Sometimes flushing and cleaning the eye to rid it of the chemical or object causes redness and irritation. Signs and symptoms, which may include watery eyes and a mucous discharge, usually clear up on their own within about a day.
If initial flushing doesn't resolve the symptoms, or if the chemical is a caustic one such as lye, you need to be seen by your doctor or eye specialist as soon as possible.
A chemical splash into the eye can cause permanent eye damage. Conjunctivitis can be caused by a virus, bacteria or by allergies. Bacterial and viral conjunctivitis are easily spread from person to person.
Allergic conjunctivitis is not contagious. Viral conjunctivitis is the most common type of conjunctivitis. This type of pink eye is very contagious and often spreads through schools and other crowded places.
It usually causes burning, red eyes with a watery discharge. Viral conjunctivitis is usually caused by the same virus that causes runny nose and sore throat in people with the common cold.
Bacterial conjunctivitis is also very contagious. An infection from bacteria causes this form of pink eye. With bacterial conjunctivitis, you have sore, red eyes with a lot of sticky pus in the eye. Some bacterial infections, however, may cause little or no discharge. Sometimes the bacteria that cause pink eye are the same that cause strep throat. Allergic conjunctivitis is a type of pink eye that comes from an allergic reaction to pollen, animals, cigarette smoke, pool chlorine, car fumes or something else in the environment.
But even teens and adults can get pinkeye. The good news is that pinkeye is a minor infection and although it might look bad, it's not usually serious. Pinkeye is an inflammation of the conjunctiva , the white part of the eye and the inner eyelids. The condition can be either infectious it can spread to other people or noninfectious. When people talk about pinkeye, they usually mean the infectious kind. It's often caused by the same bacteria and viruses responsible for colds and other infections, including ear infections , sinus infections , and sore throats.
It's also possible for the same types of bacteria that cause the sexually transmitted diseases STDs chlamydia and gonorrhea to cause conjunctivitis. If someone touches an infected person's genitals and then rubs his or her own eye or touches a contact lens, the infection can spread to the eye.
The very pink or red coloring that gives the infection its nickname is a telltale sign of pinkeye. It's also usual to have discomfort in the eye, which may feel itchy or gritty. Often, there's some discharge from the eye, and pain and swelling of the conjunctiva. Pinkeye can affect one or both eyes.
It can be hard to tell whether the infection is caused by a virus or bacteria. In general, the discharge associated with viral conjunctivitis is watery, whereas it will be thicker and more pus-like when the infection is caused by bacteria.
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