Conjunctivitis is an inflammatory condition of the conjunctiva – the thin, transparent membrane that covers the surface of the eyeball and the back of the eyelids. Conjunctivitis can be caused by a bacterial, viral, fungal or allergen agent. Depending on the pathogen that caused the inflammation, the most common conjunctivitis is either infectious or allergic in nature, and both occur predominantly in the warm season.
Infectious conjunctivitis in summer is often contracted from the water of public pools and swimming pools. Cleaning the face with clean water when leaving the pool, wearing sunglasses and avoiding rubbing the eyes with the hand before cleaning the hands with soap and water are simple measures to prevent the development of swimming pool conjunctivitis.
Also, excess chlorine in the water causes conjunctivitis, as chlorine is a strong chemical irritant. If chlorine is responsible for the inflammation of the conjunctiva, symptoms will have a rapid onset, within a few hours of visiting the pool.
Conjunctivitis in children
The simple act of bringing dirty hands to the eyes is a possible source of this condition, hence the high incidence rates among young children. Conjunctivitis in children is not a medical condition that causes pain or impaired vision, but the symptoms can cause discomfort: red eyes, itching and stinging sensation in the eyes, sometimes the child may even show some degree of sensitivity to sunlight.
Conjunctivitis, also known as “red eye”, can affect one or both eyes and bacterial and viral conjunctivitis are highly contagious, so they spread rapidly in communities such as nurseries and kindergartens.
It is also worth mentioning that red eye can be part of the symptoms of other diseases, not necessarily representing conjunctivitis and a consultation with an ophthalmologist is required for correct diagnosis.
Causes of conjunctivitis
Bacterial conjunctivitis can be caused either by saprophytic (physiological) flora in the conjunctiva and eyelids or by pathogenic germs via contaminated hands and objects (handkerchiefs, tissues, make-up, contaminated make-up utensils, use of unsanitized contact lenses). The bacterial germs most frequently encountered in the etiology of conjunctivitis are Staphylococcus, Hemophilus, Streptococcus, Chlamydia or gonorrhea (the last two pathogens are found especially in infants contaminated by the mother at natural birth).
Viral conjunctivitis is frequently caused by adenoviruses and may occur in the context of an episode of upper respiratory infection that evolves with specific symptoms, but cases of herpes or varicella-zoster virus infection with conjunctival involvement have also been described.
Allergic conjunctivitis occurs due to sensitization to certain allergens such as pollen, feathers, certain foods, chemical irritants, cosmetics and certain medications.
Symptom conjunctivitis
The symptoms most commonly encountered during the course of the disease are:
- Eye itching (itching)
- Foreign body sensation (sand in the eye)
- Itching or burning sensation
- Conjunctival congestion (redness of the eye) due to conjunctival vascular dilation
- Conjunctival secretions of increased volume (viral infections, allergic reactions) and sometimes of altered appearance (bacterial infections)
- Hyper lachrymation
- In case of allergic etiologies, conjunctival changes are accompanied by other symptoms: nose swollen with watery secretions, dry cough, palpebral edema (eyelid edema), watery or filamentous ocular discharge
What are the diagnostic methods for conjunctivitis?
A positive clinical diagnosis is established according to the patient’s symptoms.
The determination of the etiological agent of conjunctivitis is mainly done by medical tests:
- Bacteriological examination
- Virological examination
- Cytological examination of conjunctival secretions.
What is the treatment of conjunctivitis?
Treatment of conjunctivitis is etiological and includes:
- Antibiotics depending on the antibiogram of the bacterial germ isolated from the ocular secretions, in the case of bacterial conjunctivitis
- Antifungals after antifungals, if the infection is caused by a candida species
- Symptomatic therapy for viral conjunctivitis
- Desensitization treatment (antihistamines) to eliminate the inflammatory reaction at the origin of allergic conjunctivitis
How conjunctivitis can be prevented
Conjunctivitis can be prevented by adopting simple hygiene measures:
- Frequent hand cleaning with soap and water
- Avoiding rubbing the eyes
- Avoiding sharing eye drops, towels and cosmetics (mascara, eyeliner, eye shadow) with other people
- As far as possible, avoid exposure to allergens, chemical irritants
- In the case of seasonal conjunctivitis (swimming pool conjunctivitis), do not put your hands to your eyes when you leave the pool before cleaning them.
- Wear sunglasses and/or swimming goggles
- Clean your face with clean water after getting out of the pool
- Follow your doctor’s advice on the correct care and use of contact lenses.
- See your doctor if symptoms worsen to prevent complications. With the help of laboratory tests, the doctor can reliably diagnose the cause of the condition, recommending a targeted treatment for a quick cure without side effects
Learn More:
- Conjunctivitis – https://www.aafp.org/afp/1998/0215/p735.html
- Conjunctivitis – https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-010-3390-9_4
- Conjunctivitis – A Systematic Review of Diagnosis and Treatment– https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/1758756
