What is the fastest way to cure conjunctivitis and what is this disease?

Conjunctivitis is not an uncommon occurrence in humans. Each of us has felt the symptoms of redness, itching or watery eyes at least once in our life. Inflammation of the conjunctiva, known as conjunctivitis, does not discriminate between gender and age and is very unpleasant when it occurs.

Symptoms can be so inconvenient that they interfere with daily activities and cause nervousness, especially if there is an increased sensitivity to light.

Conjunctivitis is most often considered a harmless eye infection. It is important to recognize the symptoms in time and respond adequately to avoid complications, so as not to prolong recovery.

Stay with us and find out everything about this disease, how to treat it and cure it the fastest.

How do you get conjunctivitis?

Conjunctivitis is a disease transmitted by contact, but it can be acquired in different ways.

You will most often become infected if you rub your eyes with your hands after touching an infected surface or being in direct contact with an infected person. Viruses and bacteria will very easily cause an infection.

This unpleasant inflammation can occur if you are allergic. Pollen, dust, make-up and cosmetics can cause a reaction.

Sharing towels or pillowcases is another way conjunctivitis can be passed from person to person.

Sometimes weather conditions can be challenging and irritate your eyes. These are smoke, wind, dust, polluted air. Sensitive eyes can be bothered by the water in the pool, if the concentration of chlorine is too high.

What is important is to take care of eye hygiene in order to protect yourself from irritants, especially if you are known to have sensitive eyes or fall of immunity.

Conjunctivitis - symptoms

The first signs of conjunctivitis are the same, regardless of the origin of the infection. It doesn't matter if the cause is bacterial, viral or allergic, unpleasant symptoms are repeated and it is important to recognize them in time and respond adequately.

The first signs of conjunctivitis are:

• Redness of the eye - Blood vessels expand in the inflamed conjunctiva, so the eyes turn red.
• Itching and burning – Among the first signs are burning and itching. These symptoms make us rub our eyes and make the condition even worse.
• Watery eyes - An irritated eye defends itself with tears. That's why our eyes are too watery when an infection occurs.
• Discharge from the eye - When bacterial conjunctivitis occurs, it is not unusual for a yellow or green discharge to appear. In viral conjunctivitis, the discharge is watery, colorless.
• Krmelji - Krmelji are dominant immediately after waking up. Because of them, it is difficult to open our eyes and we have the impression that they are stuck together.
• Feeling like you have a foreign body in your eye - Conjunctivitis makes you feel like you have sand in your eyes.
• Photosensitivity - Sensitivity to light or photophobia is very common in severe inflammation.
• Swollen eyelids - The eyelids swell as a result of the inflammatory process.

Severe forms of conjunctivitis can cause a feeling of pressure in the eye and even pain. It is important to recognize the symptoms in time so that adequate treatment can be started. They can be characteristic of both eyes equally, but they can also be limited to one eye. It all depends on what caused the infection and how disciplined you are with the treatments prescribed by your doctor.

When more serious symptoms such as impaired vision or intense pain occur, consult an ophthalmologist immediately.

How to cure conjunctivitis?

Proper eye hygiene is very important to prevent conjunctivitis. If it does occur, it should be treated depending on the cause of the infection. This means that we will not treat bacterial, viral and allergic conjunctivitis in the same way. Each type of cause requires a special approach and therapy.

Bacterial conjunctivitis is treated exclusively in consultation with an ophthalmologist. The doctor will prescribe antibiotic drops or ointment, which will act on the bacteria and make the symptoms go away immediately. It is important to follow the doctor's instructions and to carry out the antibiotic therapy until the end and after the symptoms have subsided. This will prevent the infection from returning and stop the growth of bacteria.

Viral conjunctivitis usually goes away on its own. As it appears, so it disappears. It takes 1 to 2 weeks for symptoms to completely resolve. Cold compresses will help with viral conjunctivitis. The use of artificial tears will reduce the symptoms of itching and burning. The most important thing is to perform eye hygiene correctly and regularly, because the viral form of infection spreads easily and quickly. Rubbing and touching the eyes should be avoided

Allergic conjunctivitis  is treated with antihistamines, like all allergies. They can be in the form of drops or medicines. In the case of an allergic form of infection, contact with allergens should be avoided as much as possible. If you stay away from pollen, dust or pet hair, you will significantly alleviate the symptoms.

General guidelines for conjunctivitis sufferers include:

• Regular hand hygiene
• Avoidance of eye contact
• Frequent changing of towels and pillowcases
• Do not share cosmetics and make-up, especially mascara or eyeliner
• If you wear contact lenses, switch to glasses while under infection
• Using artificial tears and eye therapy prescribed by a doctor

If symptoms do not improve after a week, or if you notice a worsening of pain, blurred vision, or more intense discomfort, seek additional medical evaluation immediately.

Is conjunctivitis transient?

Conjunctivitis is transient. In general, this does not apply to the allergic form, which is not contagious. The forms caused by bacteria and viruses are highly transmissible. Conjunctivitis is transmitted from person to person, but also from one eye to another.

The most common method of transmission:

• By touch - When an infected person rubs or touches their eyes and immediately afterwards directly to you, there is a high probability that you will get infected.
• By touching an object - If an infected person touches their own eyes, and then immediately touches a surface that you later touch, they will infect you. Also items such as shared towels, pillowcases, mascara, eyeshadow brushes or glasses can be infected and transmit the infection.
• Coughing and sneezing - In the viral form of infection, the infection is transmitted by droplets from person to person.

If you know you are infected or notice symptoms of conjunctivitis, try to protect other people and not spread the infection. Follow the rules of frequent hand washing, use your own towels and pillowcases, do not share make-up with others and avoid touching your eyes.

Is conjunctivitis dangerous?

Conjunctivitis is considered a harmless disease. It often goes away on its own or with light treatments. It leaves no consequences, especially if it is adequately treated and if its cause is known.

Of course, any infection can turn into a serious condition that requires a more careful approach. Thus, conjunctivitis can be a very serious problem if not treated in time. This is especially true for the bacterial form of the disease when it can spread to the cornea and affect vision.

Even viral conjunctivitis may require more specific therapy when associated with serious viruses, such as herpes simplex.

More complicated and long-term treatment of conjunctivitis is in people with weakened immunity or chronic diseases. It is then important to have continuous medical supervision and monitoring of the reaction to therapy.

To avoid complications, try to listen to the doctor's advice and follow hygiene measures to prevent conjunctivitis in the first place, but also to nip it in the bud if it appears. Keep your eyes clean and add eye vitamins.

How long does conjunctivitis last?

Conjunctivitis usually does not last long. It all depends on the cause of the disease.

• Bacterial conjunctivitis usually lasts 5-10 days with appropriate antibiotic therapy. If left untreated, it may take longer, but treatment significantly speeds recovery.
• Viral conjunctivitis lasts 1-2 weeks, and sometimes longer, depending on the type of virus. The symptoms usually go away on their own, but they can be uncomfortable for a while.
• Allergic conjunctivitis lasts as long as you are exposed to the allergen. Symptoms decrease when contact with the allergen is stopped or when antihistamines are used.

It happens that the symptoms last longer than the expected recovery period. Sometimes they get worse if the therapy is not affected. It is best to consult an ophthalmologist in order not to make a wrong assessment, first of all the cause of the infection, and therefore to missed therapy