Bacterial and viral conjunctivitis

Bacterial and viral conjunctivitis

Everyone nowadays is talking about viral conjunctivitis or bacterial conjunctivitis. What is it actually?

How does it begin? What are its symptoms and what is the cure? Let us know about it in detail.

Conjunctivitis often known as eye flu is a bacterial or viral infection which is highly contagious so it is very important to maintain a good hygiene and practice regular washing of hands and sanitizing surfaces which are most prone to bacterial infections like door knobs, tables, chairs, shelves etc.

Conjunctivitis is very common during rainy season as there is a rapid increase in the number of bacteria around us.

Symptoms may include:

• Redness
• Irritation
• Watery discharge
• Green/yellow discharge
• Eyelids may sticktogether in the morning
• Eyelid swelling
• Sensitivity to light

It’s highly contagious and spreads through direct contact with eye secretions or indirectly by towels, washed clothes and other contaminated objects

Prevention:

• Avoid close contact with others until discharge has gone
• Wash hands properly and regularly
• Don’t share towels, washed clothes etc.

If you are having bacterial pink eye symptoms, the fastest way to cure it, is to see your doctor. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotic eye drops. Using antibiotic eyedrops can shorten the duration of pink eye.

If you are around someone who is suffering from viral or bacterial conjunctivitis, you can reduce your risk of the infection by following these simple steps:

• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol based sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol to clean hands.
• Avoid sharing personal items, such as makeup, eye drops, towels, bedding, contact lenses, eyeglasses and containers. Do not use the same eye products for your infected and non-infected eyes.

While concluding, I would like to add which vegetables one should consume to prevent conjunctivitis. Have a good amount of green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, cabbage fruits and orange coloured vegetables such as oranges and peach.
Stay healthy and stay safe.