Pink
Eye Treatment Varies According to the Cause of Infection
If
you’ve ever woken up with eyes that are coated shut
with debris, there’s a chance you have had a pink
eye infection. Pink eye infection, which goes by the scientific
name of conjunctivitis, is irritating and unattractive to
have, but pink eye treatment is usually uncomplicated. While
pinkeye
(conjunctivitis) is not normally
harmful to your sight, it is highly contagious and can last
for up to two weeks, so you should seek pink eye treatment
as soon as you notice the symptoms.
The
treatment of pink eye is different for everyone because
there are several causes of pink eye infection. Pink eye
infection may come from a bacterial infection, virus, or
allergy. Pink eye infection can develop in newborns because
of their passage through the birth canal, and less frequently,
people may catch pink eye through a sexually transmitted
disease. Regardless of the cause, pink eye treatment is
important because pink eye can occasionally lead to complications
of the cornea. Common pink eye treatment advice includes
the following:
- If
the pink eye infection is caused by a bacteria or virus,
it will be very contagious. You should avoid going to
places where the infection may spread such as work, school,
and other public areas.
- Pink
eye infection caused by bacteria is usually treated with
antibiotic eye drops or eye ointment. One you begin using
the pink eye treatment for bacteria, you can usually return
to work or school in one to two days.
- Pink
eye infection caused by a virus cannot be treated with
antibiotics. It simply has to run its course, but you
can use home-care remedies as a pink eye treatment to
relieve the symptoms. A virus-related pink eye infection
usually clears up in 3 to 5 days but may take up to 20
days to heal on its own, during which time you could be
contagious.
- Pink
eye infection caused by an allergy may respond to an allergy
medication. Växa Aller-Sine is a natural
allergy medication that helps ease allergic reactions,
and is an option as a pink eye treatment for allergic
pink eye.
In
addition to medications, there are many home-care remedies
for the treatment of pink eye. First, you should avoid touching
and rubbing your eyes with your hands and you should wash
your hands thoroughly. It’s also important to wash
your towel, washcloth, and pillowcase daily when you have
pink eye. Finally, you should not share or borrow cosmetics
(especially mascara), eye drops, and other personal-care
items. It’s probably best not to wear cosmetics when
you have a pink eye infection, as cosmetics may counteract
your pink eye treatment.
One
soothing and effective pink eye treatment is applying a
warm compress, such as a wash cloth soaked in warm water,
to affected eyes. Persistent pink
eye symptoms may be an indication of a more serious
problem and should be watched carefully.
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