Also known as pink eye, the disease causes eye discharge, redness, and itching.
The eye’s blood vessels also become inflamed and more visible, causing eye redness.
There are different types of conjunctivitis:viral, bacterial, and allergic conjunctivitis.
Verywell / Danie Drankwalter
Bacterial Conjunctivitis Symptoms
Bacterial conjunctivitis can affect one or both eyes.
It can also start in one eye and then spread to the other.
Bacterial conjunctivitis is highly contagious and can pass from person to person and hand-to-eye contact with contaminated objects.
Changes in the usual bacteria that live on the conjunctiva can cause conjunctivitis.
Bacteria can also spread by large respiratory droplets.
Contact lenses that arent cleaned properly can also cause bacterial conjunctivitis.
Less commonly, sexually transmitted diseases (STD) can also lead to this form of pink eye.
These cases are usually caused byChlamydia trachomatis, which causeschlamydia, andNeisseria gonorrhoeae, which causesgonorrhea.
If pregnant women are infected, it can infect the baby during birth and cause neonatal conjunctivitis.
Symptoms can appear up to 14 days after birth.
They may also be able to diagnose your condition by phone based on a discussion about your symptoms.
With antibiotics, the symptoms may disappear in a few days.
When an infant has neonatal conjunctivitis, healthcare providers will treat it immediately with erythromycin ophthalmic ointment.
Disposable contact lenses should be thrown away and replaced, but not worn until treatment is complete.
Symptomatic patients with conjunctivitis should avoid environments where they can have close contact with others.
Complications
At-home treatments are usually recommended first.
If you experience any of the above symptoms or changes to your vision, seek medical assistance right away.
Bacterial conjunctivitis will often resolve on its own.
A Word From Verywell
Bacterial conjunctivitis often causes eye discomfort, but typically does not affect vision.
The disease is easily treated at home, and the symptoms can be relieved with artificial tears and ointments.
People often start to feel improvement after a few days.
Basic hygiene is vital to avoiding the spread of bacterial conjunctivitis.
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