Pink Eye Treatment from Our Optometrist Near You
Pink eye is the most common type of eye infection, affecting people of all ages. Also called conjunctivitis, pink eye is the inflammation of the blood vessels in the conjunctiva, the clear membrane covering the underside of your eyelids and eyeball. If you have pink eye or other vision issues, contact our team today at Arvada Optometric Center in Arvada, CO, for evaluation and treatment.
Pink Eye Symptoms
A main symptom of pink eye is your eyes' pink or red appearance. Consistent tearing, itchy eyes, and a green, yellow, or white discharge that can become crusty are other common symptoms, as is the sense a foreign object is in the eye. Contact an eye doctor if you have these symptoms.
Pink Eye Causes and Treatments
Bacteria, viruses, allergies, or irritations most often cause pink eye. Bacterial and viral pink eye are contagious, so people with those infections should limit contact with others. In addition, bacterial pink eye makes the eyes redder than the viral pink eye and causes more discharge.
Bacterial Pink Eye
Bacterial pink eye requires an eye exam and antibiotic treatment, administered with eye drops or a cream. The treatment works quickly, and most patients stop being contagious 24 hours after starting treatment.
Viral Pink Eye
Viral pink eye is more common among adults than children. It tends to be mild and goes away without formal treatment, though you should wash your hands frequently, not touch your eyes, and change your towels and linens often.
Pink Eye from Allergies
Allergies can cause mild forms of pink eye, which get treated with allergy medications, like antihistamines. Cold compresses can be helpful for symptom relief and by preventing additional allergens from contacting the eyes.
Pink Eye from Irritation
You can develop conjunctivitis from a foreign object contacting your eye. Eye washing and cold compresses are the primary treatments in those cases, often resolving pink eye within a few hours. Of course, if a caustic or other dangerous material touches your eye, you should see an eye doctor immediately.
Pink Eye Prevention
The best prevention for conjunctivitis is avoiding people with active pink eye infections, regularly washing your hands, not touching your face, and not sharing linens, contacts, or makeup.
Consider Our Optometrists at Arvada Optometric Center Today
If you live in or near Arvada, CO, and need an optometrist near you, contact our Arvada Optometric Center team. Call (303) 424-5282 today to schedule your appointment.
