What is Conjunctivitis?

Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of your conjunctiva (the transparent lining covering the white part of your eye). It commonly affects children.

What causes Conjunctivitis?

The most common causes of conjunctivitis are infections (Bacterial, Viral) which particularly affect children and allergic reactions which are more common in adults.

Conjunctivitis can be very contagious.

What are the symptoms?
- Redness in the white part of the eye
- Red, swollen eyelids
- Increased tear production
- Irritation such as a gritty, sandy feeling in your eyes
- A discharge that makes your eyelids stick together during sleep. If the discharge is clear, the conjunctivitis is due to an allergy
- Sensitivity to light
When to see doctor?
- Conjunctivitis for more than 24hrs
- severe pain in eye
- eyes are extremely sensitive to the light
- If the skin around eye or eyelid is red
- eye is red and there is a greenish/ yellow discharge that does not get better after 24hrs
- Severe irritation in the eyes
- If your child age is less than 2 months
Care at home
- Apply cold compresses several times a day to relieve the irritation and discomfort.
- Wipe the edges of your eyelid very gently with a moist clean cloth to get rid of the hardened discharge
- Try not to wear contact lenses or eye make-up until the infection has disappeared. You should always throw away eye make-up after you have had an eye infection
Don'ts:
- Don't let the child rub his or her eyes.
- Don't use medication unless prescribed by your doctor
- Don't force his/her eyes open if theya re encrusted. Clean gently
How to use eye drops?
- Make sure that the eye dropper is clean and try not to let it touch any part of your eye.
- Pull your lower eyelid downwards with two fingers to create a pouch. Squeeze the eyedrops into the pocket. Gently close your eye for several minutes so that the medication can move around your eye. This procedure is suitable for older children and adults.
- For young children, have her/him lie down with their eyes closed. Place the eye-drops in the corner of the eye. Then have the child open his/her eyes so that the drop will run in.
Could it be preventive?
- Most infectious cases of conjunctivitis can be spread easily from one family member to another. To prevent this infection from spreading to others, use a separate towel and wash cloth for the child.
- Avoid substances that you know your child is allergic to.
- Protect your child's eyes if you go out on windy or dusty days.