Pink eyes also known as Conjunctivitis, is a condition where the white part of the eye turns into pink or red color. It happens because of the swelling of the white of the eye or inner eyelid. The swelling makes the blood vessels more visible. Anyone can suffer from pink eyes, but it’s mostly seen in children or newborns.
In this blog, you will get some information about pink eye symptoms, its treatment prevention, and frequently asked questions.
Is Pink Eye an Infection or Disease?
Before understanding the pink eye symptoms, let us first clarify the nature of the pink eye.
| Infection | Condition |
| If caused by viruses, it is known as viral conjunctivitis/viral infection. | If caused by an allergic reaction it is known as allergic conjunctivitis/ allergic condition. |
| If caused by bacteria, it is known as bacterial infection/bacterial conjunctivitis | 2. If caused by chemicals or foreign objects, it is called irritant conjunctivitis/ irritant disease. |
Now that we have understood the nature of pink eyes, in the next section, we will understand the pink eye symptoms.
Pink Eye Symptoms
Let’s understand the most common symptoms because of which one may suffer from pink eyes.
1. Direct Contact: When you make direct contact with the infected person’s bodily fluid, then you might suffer from pink eyes.
2. Self-Infection: There is a spread of infection if the bacteria is living in the person’s nose and sinuses.
3. Contact lens issues: If you don’t clean the contact lenses properly or wear poor-fitting contact lenses, then the chances of suffering from pink eyes will become higher.
4. Close Proximity & Poor Hygiene: Children are the ones who are affected by pink eyes as they have close contact with other children in school or daycare, also they don’t practice good hygiene.
As discussed above, pink eyes can be viral, bacterial, or allergic. Here, we will discuss the three types of pink eye symptoms.
| Viral pink eye symptoms | Bacterial pink eye symptoms | Allergic pink eye symptoms |
| 1. Watery discharge | 1. Thick, yellow-green discharge | 1. Intense itching |
| 2. Redness in one or both eyes | 2. Redness in one or both eyes | 2. Redness in both eyes |
| 3. Itching and burning sensation | 3. Crusty eyelids, especially upon waking | 3. Watery discharge |
| 4. Sensitivity to light | 4. Mild pain or discomfort | 4. Swollen eyelids & dark circles under the eyes |
Treatment or Recovery for Pink Eye
In the above section, we saw so many symptoms of pink eye, let’s find out some ways to treat the same.
Self-care measure
- Keep your eyes clean if there is a lot of crust formation in your eyes.
- If you feel some discomfort in your eyes, keep a cold or warm compress on your eyes at least once a day.
How to Avoid the Spread of Pink Eyes
- Keep washing your hands frequently, and also try not to touch or rub your eyes.
- Avoid sharing towels, napkins, or washcloths with others, as it might increase the spread of pink eyes.
- Change the pillowcase at least once a week.
- Avoid using eye makeup as it may worsen the symptoms, and try not to wear contact lenses.
Treatments According to the Type of Pink Eye
1. Viral Pink Eye: This type does not have any specific cure, but in severe conditions, you might need antiviral drugs. It takes around 1-2 weeks to clear it if it is not severe.
2. Bacterial Pink Eye: Eye drops, ointment, and oil can treat bacterial conjunctivitis. If you are suffering from this type, you can recover from it within 2 to 5 days.
3. Allergic conjunctivitis: Antihistamine eye drops or steroid eye drops in severe conditions will provide you with a soothing effect and will reduce allergic pink eye symptoms. You can recover from this type within a day if the allergen is removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do pink eye symptoms worsen at night?
At night there is an accumulation of discharge that creates a crust on the eyelids. There might be a sticky feeling while opening your eyes in the morning, thus it is suggested to clean or wipe your eyes with water once you get up.
2. Is it okay to wear contact lenses while suffering from pink eyes?
It is suggested to avoid contact lenses until this infection or condition is completely cleared, till then take the prescribed antibiotics or antidrugs so that it will help you to avoid this condition.
3. Is Pink Eye Painful?
Pink eyes usually create discomfort in the eyes, making a person’s eye feel itchy, you might feel severe pain if your vision changes, thus you can immediately seek medical attention.
Final Thoughts
We hope by reading this blog, you might have understood the pink eye symptoms, its treatment, and preventive measures. It is important to take regular eye checkups, have healthy hygiene, avoid a lot of screen time, or use digital devices. All this will help you to maintain your eyes and overall health. As it is rightly said ‘Our Eyes are our Responsibility’ and it should be followed.
