Conjunctivitis – causes and treatment

In principle, anyone can develop conjunctivitis. On the one hand, the disease may be caused by an infection with pathogens, but on the other hand, irritation of the sensitive mucous membrane can also produce the symptoms. For this reason, conjunctivitis is divided into two types, infectious and non-infectious conjunctivitis.

Infectious conjunctivitis is caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi. Adenoviruses are particularly dangerous, causing epidemic keratoconjunctivitis, a highly contagious form of conjunctivitis. Staphylococci, streptococci or pneumococci are the most common pathogens of a bacterial infection. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is often found in expired contact lens solutions or in cosmetics that have been opened too long. The pathogen spreads very quickly and can result in inflammation of the conjunctiva within a very short time. If there is an underlying infection with a pathogen, the typical symptoms usually first appear in one eye and are then transferred to the other.

A typical sign of conjunctivitis is redness of the eye. But a red eye does not always have to be the cause of conjunctivitis. It may also be dry eyes or a reaction to chemical substances such as chlorine. With conjunctivitis, the following symptoms usually occur in addition to the redness of the eyes:

• itching
• burning
• watery eyes
• foreign body sensation
• discharge of purulent or mucous secretion
• sticky or crusty eyelids, especially in the morning
• sensitivity to light
• eye pain
• spasmodic eyelid closure (blepharospasm)
• swelling of the conjunctiva

Dome-like bulges may also develop on the inside of the eyelid, which can be seen when the inflamed eyelid is everted over. As the immune system attacks the pathogens, the cells that cause these bulges accumulate.

An eye specialist should be consulted under all circumstances if conjunctivitis is suspected. This is because further therapy differs depending on the cause. A bacterial infection, for example, is treated with antibiotics, which are usually instilled into the conjunctival sac in the form of eye drops. There are also various ointments and gels with an antibiotic effect.

Treatment is somewhat more difficult in the case of a viral infection, as there are hardly any drugs that have a targeted effect. Eye drops containing cortisone can alleviate the symptoms but should not be used over a longer period of time, as they suppress the body's own defences. In most cases, sufferers simply have to wait for the conjunctivitis to heal on its own.

Non-infectious conjunctivitis is usually treated by avoiding the trigger. Being in smoky rooms or draughts can usually be easily avoided. In the case of an allergy, there are special eye drops to relieve acute discomfort. If dry eyes are the cause of the irritation, then lubricating eye drops are suitable to regularly lubricate the eye.

At all events, do not rub your eyes, even if they do itch. This irritates the eyes even more and can introduce new pathogens into the already inflamed eye.

If an eye specialist treats the conjunctivitis with medication and eye drops, the symptoms will diminish significantly after only two to three days. Untreated, the inflammation usually lasts about two weeks. Contact lens wearers should refrain from wearing their lenses during this time to avoid additional stress on the eye. It is also advisable to replace used lenses with new ones after the disease to avoid re-infection.

Non-infectious conjunctivitis is not contagious, but the infectious form is. The disease can be even contagious twelve days before the onset of the first symptoms and also up to a week after the symptoms have subsided. Up to four weeks can elapse before conjunctivitis is no longer transmitted by viruses and bacteria. Therefore, always use your own towel after showering or washing your hands, and generally ensure good hygiene. Contact with other people should also be restricted during the acute phase.