Health Facts
General Health
Baby
Toddlers & Children
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Conjunctivitis: A simple guide for Parents
What is Conjunctivitis?
Conjunctivitis is a condition very commonly seen in pharmacies and children
are quite susceptible to acquiring it, mainly because of its highly contagious
nature. It is an inflammation of the conjunctiva which is the thin membrane that
covers your eyes and lines the inside of your eyelids. Conjunctivitis is more
annoying than it is serious and can be easily treated and prevented in children.
Causes:
Conjunctivitis is caused by more than one particular thing and the most
common causes likely to seen include:
- Viruses
- Bacteria
- Allergens (including pollens and grasses)
- Chemicals and Irritants
- Another cause, more specifically for babies, is a blocked tear drainage
system which increases the risk of a bacterial infection in that area.
Symptoms:
The symptoms of conjunctivitis are very important because they can tell you
the likely cause and future prevention of such causes affecting your child.
- Irritated, itchy, red/pink eyes (When the conjunctiva is irritated, the
eye's blood vessels enlarge, making the eye appear red/pink)
- Clear, thin, watery discharge (usually seen in viral and allergic
causes)
- Thick, yellow or green discharge (usually seen in bacterial causes)
Points to remember:
- Bacterial causes tends to affect both eyes
- Allergic causes may be associated with a history of allergies such as
hayfever, eczema or asthma.
- If the symptoms have been present for a while, this gives a clue to an
allergic cause and it is often very itchy.
- There should be NO problems with vision.
How do you catch it and how common is it?
Most cases of conjunctivitis due to either bacteria or viruses are
contagious. Infection can be spread from one eye to the other (usually in
bacterial causes) by touching it. The bugs can be transmitted to your eye by
touching contaminated towels, handkerchiefs or hands etc.
It is very common in pre-schoolers.
What do you do when you suspect your child has conjunctivitis?
For convenience sake, you can take your child to a pharmacy where a
Pharmacist or Nurse or other qualified health care professionals can diagnose it
and possibly treat it. However you will need to visit a GP who will take a
medical history, examine the eye and eventually diagnose the cause (or
underlying condition) and recommend medication or measures to both treat it and
prevent it from reoccurring.
Treatment:
- Specific treatment depends on the underlying cause of the
conjunctivitis.
- Bacterial causes are treated with antibiotic eye drops or ointment
prescribed by your doctor.
- Viral causes are not helped with antibiotic drops. Here the
conjunctivitis usually goes away on its own.
- Allergic causes are usually treated with antihistamine, syrup and
special anti-allergy drops.
Prevention:
- Wash hands more often and make sure they are kept away from the eyes.
- Avoid sharing pillows, towels and bed linen.
- Don't send babies or children to pre-school until 48 hours after
treatment and when the eye has stopped weeping.
Mina Giurgis
Pharmacist
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