In the last few weeks amid heavy rainfall, waterlogging, and floods, there have been multiple cases of conjunctivitis. Commonly known as pink eye or eye flu, it is a highly contagious condition that happens due to the inflammation of the conjunctiva, a transparent layer covering the white part of the eye and the inner area of the eyelid. It gets transmitted when contamination occurs by fingers or objects and the virus and bacteria become the host of eye infections.  

Also Read:  Fungal Eye Infections: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment 

Primarily a self-limiting infection, eye flu makes vision blurry, eyes red, itchy, sticky, and painful. While the infection may not pose a serious risk to your eye health, it causes a lot of discomfort and can hamper your daily activities. It takes about a week to recover from an eye flu.

 Symptoms Of Pink Eye Or Conjunctivitis:  

• Redness in the white part and the inner eyelid
• A white discharge from your eye
• A grit-like sensation in one or both eyes
• Constant itching
• Teary eyes
• Burning sensation
• Blurry vision
• Increased sensitivity to light
• Swollen eyelids

How To Know If The Eye Flu Is Bacterial Or Viral?

Although the symptoms of an eye flue are almost the same, the healthcare provider uses a few signs to help determine if pink eye is bacterial or viral such as:

Amount of Discharge: Bacterial infection causes a lot of discharge from your eye or eyes, unlike the viral one.

Ear Infection: In case of bacterial conjunctivitis, an ear infection can also occur at the same time.

Color: Light pink may be a sign of a viral infection and the red is more likely to be bacterial conjunctivitis.

Whether in one or both eyes: If both eyes are affected, a virus is the cause of your pink eye, if only one then it is most likely a bacterial one.

Treatment

In most cases, eye flu withers away on its own and all types of conjunctivitis may not need an extensive treatment. But when required, it is essential to check whether it is a virus or bacteria that is causing it. Antibiotics such as eye drops, ointments, or pills are given for bacterial conjunctivitis to reduce the length of your symptoms. Viral eye flu cannot be treated by antibiotics and in fact, it does not need any specific treatment unless it is caused by herpes simplex virus, varicella-zoster virus, or a sexually transmitted infection which are serious infections and only go with antiviral medications. Allergy-borne conjunctivitis is treated with over-the-counter eye drops, antihistamines, or anti-inflammatory drugs. Pink eyes caused by STIs are rare but can be serious and cause major vision problems. Accordingly, they are treated with antibiotics for bacterial flu and with antivirals for viral eye flu.

 Also Read: Eye Infections: 5 Effective Home Remedies To Heal Common Eye Problems

How To Prevent Conjunctivitis Spread?

At the outset, you can try to relieve your symptoms temporarily by applying a cold compress to your closed eyes and your eyes should begin to improve within four hours after rinsing them. But in case the symptoms do not go away, call your healthcare provider. If a person has been diagnosed with pink eye as a first precautionary measure, the health care provider will recommend staying home until the infection goes away and you are no longer contagious If you have been on antibiotics for the last forty-eight hours or no longer have symptoms, the chances of you spreading an infection are remote. Moreover, practice good hygiene and take care of your eyes during this time to prevent the spread of pink eye. Follow these basic but essential tips that can ease the symptoms and discomfort and upkeep your eye health. 

• Do not touch or rub the infected eye/eyes
• Wash your hands often with soap and water after touching your eyes
• Avoid straining your eyes as much as possible and give them ample rest
• Wash the discharge coming from your eyes softly using a cotton ball. Clean your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water after doing so
• Stay indoors to prevent the spread
• If you have put eye drops or ointment on your eye or someone else’s eye, make sure you wash your hands
• Do not share personal items such as makeup, contact lenses, or towels during the infection phase or even otherwise