Pink Eye is a daily visitor to urgent care and eye care offices. It can often pretend to be something that it is not, a masquerader. By far, the most common cause of pink eye is conjuctivitis. Say what?
Conjuctivitis is inflammation of the conjuctiva. The conjuctiva is the clear thin mucous membrane that lines the white of the eye and the underside of the eyelids. From the Latin Conjunctivus which is to join.
Inflammation can be caused by many ailments, the most common of which are:
Infection
Allergy
Inflammation
Trauma
Dryness
A few words about each of these are in order.
Infection of the conjuctiva can be from bacteria, virus, fungus and other micro-organisms. Infection always begets Inflammation, hence the pink eye.
Allergy is usually air borne pollens and can also be allergy to eye drop ingredients and soiled contact lenses.
Trauma can be abrasion, chemicals, UV radiation or just rubbing the eye.
Dryness can be lack of tearing, poor quality tears and environmental exposure.
Keep in mind that the most common infection that leads to the inflammation of pink eye is viral. The most common virus is the cold virus. While there is no cure, and certainly not antibiotics, anti-inflammatory treatments are available.
So when you have pink eye visit an Optometrist of Ophthalmologist to get a proper diagnosis and treatment.
Cheers,
Dr. Greg
