Pink
Eye Infection: A Contagious Irritation of One or Both Eyes
As
a child, you may have been warned frequently about avoiding
a pink eye infection. Pink eye infection is the familiar
term for conjunctivitis. A very common and often contagious
condition, pink eye symptoms
include redness and swelling of the conjunctiva, which is
the mucous membrane that covers the white part of your eye
and lines the inside of your eyelid. The conjunctiva is
normally clear, but if a pink eye infection occurs, this
clear lining becomes swollen, red, and irritated.
A
pink eye infection may be caused by bacteria, viruses, allergies,
or other environmental conditions. When the pink eye infection
is caused by a bacteria or virus, it’s important to
prevent the spread of the infection by washing your hands
and not touching your eyes. Often, people with a pink eye
infection are advised to be absent from work or school until
symptoms improve. The pink eye infection caused by a virus
may be linked to a cold or sore throat. The bacterial form
of pink eye infection usually stems from the staphylococcus
and streptococcus bacteria.
Pink
eye infection is occasionally caused by allergy, dirt, smoke,
cosmetics, perfume, or pool chlorine. In these cases, the
pink eye infection is not contagious and will require a
different pink eye treatment.
Regardless of the cause of a pink eye infection, it is a
temporary condition that rarely affects eyesight or the
ongoing health of the eyes.
|