Conjunctivitis symptoms, treatment and prevention

There are different kinds of conjunctivitis, depending on the causes that have triggered it.

The most common ones are:

· Viral conjunctivitis: the etiologic agent is a virus. They are microorganisms that affect the airways and the eyes. This kind of conjunctivitis is highly contagious and it is transmitted through the touch, cough and sneezes.

· Bacterial conjunctivitis: It is different to the previous one, since unlike the viral conjunctivitis, the bacterial one causes the secretion of a sticky yellowish or green-yellowish viscous substance. And, just like the viral one, the bacterial conjunctivitis is infectious through direct or indirect contact.

· Allergic conjunctivitis: this kind of conjunctivitis is not contagious at all. It is a body response to some eye allergens, like dust or pollen. This is more usual in certain seasons like spring, although it can happen at every time of the year.

· And, finally, other causes of conjunctivitis can be the direct contact with some chemical products, like swimming pool’s chlorine. It is a corrosive substance that can eventually cause an irritationand even a conjunctivitis.

Which are conjunctivitis symptoms?

Conjunctivitis can be identified by a clinical diagnosis, that will analyse the symptoms and the patient’s precedents that could have caused the pathology, such as the previous contact with people that have suffered it or the touch with chemical products that might have triggered it.

Some of the conjunctivitis symptoms are eye reddening, a mild photophobia and a feeling of having an annoying object under the eyelid. When there is conjunctivitis, the tears work as protectors, trying to clean the eye and expel the damaging substances.

It is also possible that conjunctivitis causes the eye to secrete a substance that make the eyelashes and the eyelids to stick when it dries, what could eventually produce a scab.

How long does the conjunctivitis last?

Conjunctivitis is a brief disease, but its symptoms can vary through time depending on the causes that have produced the swelling.

If you suspect you might be developing a conjunctivitis, we strongly recommend you to subject to a professional diagnosis and treatment! That is how you will be able to make the duration of the disease even shorter.

However, each kind of conjunctivitis has a different duration.

Viral conjunctivitis is one of the longest. Its treatment should last one or two weeks, the same amount of time that this pathology usually lasts.

Regarding bacterial conjunctivitis, if the treatment is the appropriate one, it will last between seven and ten days.

On its behalf, allergic conjunctivitis’ length can vary a lot. Its duration will depend on the exposition degree to the allergenic agent. The swelling usually disappears after a few days, as long as there is not contact with the substance that caused the allergy anymore.

And, finally, conjunctivitis due to an irritation usually only lasts a few days. It will also depend on how long has the eye been exposed to the chemical product and how severe is the damage caused.

How can it be treated and prevented?

The prevention and treatment will be different depending on the kind of conjunctivitis the patient is suffering. Most of the conjunctivitis heal on their own, so treatment usually is focused on easing the symptoms and the pain and shortening the duration of the disease.

To do so, your trusted doctor will probably prescribe antibiotic eyedrops to treat bacterial conjunctivitis. Nevertheless, if you are enduring this kind of conjunctivitis, the best you could do is to come to Clinica Excelan. Here, you will receive an absolutely customised service!

And remember that you should never self-medicate!

As general preventive measures, we advise to:

Clean your hands very often, cover yourself when coughing and do not touch your eyes. Additionally, if you know anyone who is enduring a bacterial or viral conjunctivitis, do not touch anything that could have been previously touched by him.

What is more, if you use contact lens, you have to be very hygienic when changing them. And try to avoid using any kind of make-up products that could cause an allergic reaction. Regarding allergies, if you are allergic to pollen, avoid getting into environments where there is so much of it and always use preventive measures like, for instance, sunglasses.

Furthermore, if you are suffering an infectious conjunctivitis, the wisest thing to do is to stay at home for a few days in order to avoid infecting other people.

Do you need medical assistance? Trust in Clinica Excelan. Your health and well-being are our main concerns. You can receive a customised care at your own home or wherever you might need it.

And, if you are in Marbella or Costa del Sol as a tourist and you do not know the Spanish language, you do not have to worry about anything! We have English-speaking doctors and a highly multilingual staff, so we will be able to attend you in your mother tongue.

Our priority is your total comfort!

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