What is conjunctivitis?
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Conjunctivitis is inflammation of the layer covering the eyeball and continuing along the inside of the eyelids. There are different types of conjunctivitis, acute and chronic, and different causes, including infection and allergy. Determining the cause is important because treatment depends on it.
Causes of conjunctivitis
- Infectious: caused by either viruses or bacteria. It usually lasts between 1 and 3 weeks and is characterised by discharge ranging from watery to yellow-green, red eye, watering, swollen eyelids and a foreign-body sensation. In some cases, the lymph nodes in front of the ears may swell. Caution is needed because of the risk of transmission.
- Allergic: symptoms appear almost instantly when the allergen comes into contact with the mucous membranes, with itching, watering, swollen eyelids, chemosis, etc.
- Vernal: when patients have seasonal allergies. Identifying the specific allergen is useful to determine when the patient will have symptoms.
- Caused by blepharitis, called blepharoconjunctivitis. It results from abnormalities of the glands at the eyelid margins. These cases have less discharge, a greater feeling of dry eye and a tendency to become chronic if not treated properly.
Early treatment is crucial for the patient's wellbeing, to prevent the condition from persisting and to try to avoid lasting effects and other problems such as transmission to family members. In some cases, treating the specific cause is important: antibiotics are available for bacterial conjunctivitis; in blepharoconjunctivitis, the condition and function of the eyelid glands need to improve. Nevertheless, treatment to reduce the patient's symptoms is also fundamental: anti-inflammatory drops and hydration with artificial tears.
Have conjunctivitis symptoms started suddenly? Do you often have flare-ups without knowing the cause? Please seek advice.
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