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HomeEyeHow To Know If It's Allergies Or Pink Eye

How To Know If It’s Allergies Or Pink Eye

When Is It Safe To Return To Work Or School

Do I Have Pink Eye or Allergies?

People should not return to work or school until their symptoms clear completely. A person should talk to their doctor about when it is safe for them to return to normal activities.

A rough guide to when it is safe to return to work or school is:

  • Bacterial pink eye: After 24 hours of antibiotic treatment.
  • Viral pink eye: After 2 days to about a week.
  • Allergic pink eye: No need to stay home.

How To Tell If You Have Pink Eye And What To Do

Waking up to a red, inflamed eye that might even be hard to open can be terrifying. Is it a temporary infection or a virus? Maybe its the dreaded pink eye, the common name for conjunctivitis, which can be contagious. No need to panic, there are ways to clear up that irritated eye fast.

The first thing is to look at any other symptoms, especially pain and vision problems, to figure out whether its time to visit a doctor right away.

If its something serious, that means theres associated pain or vision symptoms: your vision is blurry, theres pain, theres sensitivity to light and other things that are occurring, Dr. William B. Trattler, cornea specialist, Center for Excellence in Eye Care, Miami, told TODAY. Thats not something you want to self-treat.

If the eye is simply red and watery, it could be something more benign masquerading as conjunctivitis, like dry eye from staring at the computer all day or irritation from a windy environment, Trattler said. Moisturizing eye drops, also called artificial tears, or a redness reliever can help.

How Do I Get Conjunctivitis

Kids get conjunctivitis for different reasons. Most kids get it from bacteria or viruses. This is called infectious conjunctivitis. Bacteria can be seen only with a powerful microscope, and viruses are even smaller than bacteria! Bacteria live on your skin or in your nose or mouth all the time and you never know it. Most don’t ever bother you, but certain kinds of bacteria can cause infections like conjunctivitis.

Sometimes kids get ear infections when they have conjunctivitis because the same bacteria can cause both problems.

Viruses, like the kind that can give you a cold, can cause conjunctivitis, too. Conjunctivitis is easy to catch just through touching. You can get conjunctivitis by touching the hand of an infected friend who has touched his or her eyes. If you then touch your eyes, the infection can be spread to you. Washing your hands often with warm, soapy water is the best way to avoid being infected with conjunctivitis.

Kids also get conjunctivitis because of allergies or because they get something irritating in their eyes, but these kinds of conjunctivitis are not contagious.

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Treating Conjunctivitis At Home

You can help ease symptoms by cleaning around your eye and removing crusts from the eyelashes.

Use the following steps to remove any discharge.

  • Boil some water and let it cool.
  • Wash your hands.
  • Wet a clean cotton ball or pad with the cooled water.
  • Gently wipe from the inner corner to the outer corner of the eye.
  • With a dry cotton ball or pad, wipe from the inside corner out.
  • Repeat for the other eye. Use a new cotton ball or pad.
  • Wash your hands.
  • How Can I Relieve Symptoms Of Allergic Pink Eye

    5 home remedies to treat pink eye, according to eye doctors

    To relieve symptoms of allergic pink eye:

    • Remove contact lenses, if you wear them.
    • Place cold compresses on your eyes.
    • Try nonprescription “artificial tears,” a type of eye drop that may help relieve itching and burning . Do not use the same bottle of drops in the other eye if it is not affected.

    The best defense against allergic pink eye is a good offense: Try to avoid substances that trigger your allergies. An allergy specialist can test to determine what your specific triggers might be.

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    How Is Allergic Conjunctivitis Diagnosed

    To diagnose allergic conjunctivitis, your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and health history. He or she will examine your eye. If your doctor sees the irritation is severe, he or she may swab the corners of your eye to send a sample of the liquid to a lab. If your doctor determines allergies are to blame, he or she may suggest you undergo allergy testing.

    Allergies Or Infection Heres How You Can Tell

    Whether ragweed or pet dander is the culprit, allergens affect the eyes in the same way.

    Eye infections can come from many causes virus, bacteria, parasite or fungus and the symptoms vary with the cause, but in general, infections have a longer list of symptoms when compared to allergies.

    The bottom line is that if anything more than tear-like fluids come from your eye or you feel eye pain, its likely more than allergies.

    To get the right treatment, youll need your eye doctor to find out whats behind your eye problem. Eye allergies arent contagious but they can be miserable to deal with. If its an infection, you run the risk of damaging your eye and/or spreading it to others.

    Read Also: Can You Suddenly Develop Food Allergies

    How Is Allergic Pink Eye Treated

    Allergy-associated pink eye may disappear completely, either when the allergy is treated with antihistamines, or when the allergen is removed. So, the first line of treatment is allergen removal. This may include things like wearing a hat outside and washing your face frequently during allergy season. Your doctor also may recommend you use one or more of the following:

    Is It Pink Eye Or Just Allergies

    What is Pink Eye?

    Who cant recall when we as children would wake up to find our eyes crusted shut? You may remember your eyes being gloppy and painful to the touch, with bright light adding a harsh burning sensation. So when your child comes home from a sleep over or pool party with those memorable symptoms, you may wonder: is it pink eye or just allergies? Or could it be one caused by the other?

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    How To Treat Allergies

    Because eye allergies are caused by the environment, there are more options to help reduce them. Treatments include:

    As with other types of conjunctivitis, at-home remedies, include warm and cold compresses along with avoiding contact lenses.

    The time it takes to get rid of eye allergies depends on exposure to the allergen and the effectiveness of the treatment, Colby says. Rubbing your eyes will only make it worse, she says.

    “Allergen avoidance is the major treatment for that,” Colby says. “If not, there are medicines that can be given to dampen the allergic response. Rubbing itself is like having a mosquito bite and scratching it, it makes the itching worse.”

    Treatments For Pink Eye

    For viral forms of pink eye, you generally do not require medication. It should run its course and clear up between seven days and two weeks without any long-term consequences. Antibiotics are not effective against viruses, but your doctor may prescribe antiviral medication to treat more severe forms of viral pink eye, like those caused by the herpes simplex virus or varicella zoster virus.

    For all other cases of treating pink eye, your doctor may prescribe lubricating eye drops to soothe irritation and provide some relief. Otherwise, you may be best suited to staying at home and resting. You can use a warm or cold compress on your closed eyes to provide some comfort.

    Bacterial pink eye can be easily and quickly treated using antibiotics. These antibiotics come in the form of topical ointments and eye drops. Prescription antibiotics are effective in killing the bacteria, and you should see noticeable improvements in your condition within the first 24 hours after taking antibiotics. However, even without antibiotics or other medical treatment, bacterial conjunctivitis should only last seven to ten days before you make a full recovery.

    If you have allergic conjunctivitis, you should see drastic improvements once you eliminate or significantly reduce your contact with the allergen. If thats not possible, your doctor can prescribe allergy medications and decongestant eye drops to help ease symptoms.

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    Treatment Depends On Severity And Cause Of Symptoms

    Identifying and removing the cause of allergic conjunctivitis, where possible, is ideal when an allergic cause has been confirmed from allergy testing. For example:

    • House dust mite minimisation measures in the bedroom .
    • Removing the cat from the house in sensitive individuals.

    It is also important to exclude the presence of a foreign body such as dust, wood chip or an insect/s.

    Symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis are generally mild to moderate and respond to bathing eyes with cold water, ice packs and cold water compresses. Topical lubricants can also help flush allergens from the tear film. However, symptoms can sometimes be extremely severe and debilitating and require medication. Treatment options include:

  • Oral antihistamines Help some people when avoidance measures are difficult. However, they may dry the eyes, nose and mouth, and may cause blurred vision. Antihistamines are usually contraindicated in glaucoma and advice should be sought from an eye specialist.
  • Allergen immunotherapy for specific allergensMay benefit people with persistent, severe allergic conjunctivitis. However, relief of eye symptoms takes longer than nasal symptoms.
  • How To Treat Bacterial Or Viral Pink Eye

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    Types of treatment vary based on what is causing the irritation. No drops or ointments can treat viral conjunctivitis. Like a common cold, the virus has to run its course, which may take up to two or three weeks.

    Bacterial conjunctivitis is most often treated with antibiotic eye drops or ointments such as Bleph, Moxeza, or Romycin .

    Although viral infections only heal with time, at-home remedies may aid the healing process and provide some relief. These include:

    • Warm washcloth or compress to help reduce discharge buildup
    • Cold compress to help relieve inflammation
    • Avoid wearing contact lenses

    The infection will usually clear up in 7 to 14 days.

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    What Causes Pink Eye

    The primary types of conjunctivitis, based on cause, are:

    • Viral conjunctivitis. Caused by a virus, like the common cold. This type of pink eye is very contagious, but usually will clear up on its own within several days without medical treatment.

    • Bacterial conjunctivitis. Caused by bacteria, this type of conjunctivitis can cause serious damage to the eye if left untreated.

    • Allergic conjunctivitis. Caused by eye irritants such as pollen, dust and animal dander among susceptible individuals. Allergic conjunctivitis may be seasonal or flare up year-round .

    Inflammation Of The Cornea Can Also Be Associated With Allergy

    The cornea has very few blood vessels , and is seldom involved in an allergic reaction. However, there are a number of causes of small pinpoint defects in the cornea, a condition called epithelial keratitis, which is usually due to drug and chemical exposure, for example:

    • Drug toxicity and drug allergy.
    • Vernal conjunctivitis.
    • Contact sensitivity to topical eye medications such as neomycin, idoxuridine, atropine and derivatives, thiomersal and some topical anaesthetics.

    Specific conditions involving the cornea, which are associated with allergy are listed below.

    Atopic keratoconjunctivitis

    • A combined inflammation of the conjunctiva and cornea, most often associated with atopic dermatitis/eczema.
    • Usually results in red, scaly and weeping skin of the eyelids.
    • Secondary infection with Staphylococcus aureus is common and may cause infection of the eyelash follicles.
    • The conjunctiva may be swollen, red and with a tenacious clear or pus containing discharge.
    • The condition can persist for many years and causes severe photophobia, weeping and itching.
    • If the photophobia is severe, it can be difficult for people to open their eyes in direct sunlight.
    • Conjunctival scarring may occur if the persistent condition is not treated properly.

    Keratoconus

    Atopic cataracts

    • May be associated with the severe form of atopic dermatitis in about 8-10% of sufferers.
    • Occurs in children and young adults, even in the absence of steroid therapy.

    Vernal keratoconjunctivitis

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    How Can I Prevent Pinkeye

    • Keep your hands clean. Wash them thoroughly and often, especially if you touch your eye or the area around it.
    • Infection can also enter the body through your nose and mouth. So donât share washcloths, bath towels, pillowcases, or handkerchiefs with others, even with family. Donât use other people’s eyedrops or cosmetics, particularly eyeliner pencils and mascara.
    • If your pinkeye is tied to allergies, avoid your triggers. Donât rub your eyes, which may make it worse. Splash your face and eyes with cold water, or use a cool compress. Use aqueous-based âartificial tears.â Stick with your allergy treatment.
    • Sometimes, chemicals used to clean contact lenses can irritate your eyes. You may find relief if you change how you clean your contacts, but be sure to disinfect them before you put them back in your eyes.

    What Are The Complications Of Pinkeye

    What do I need to know about pink eye (conjunctivitis)?

    Usually, pinkeye clears up on its own or after you take any medicines your doctor prescribes, with no lasting problems. Mild pinkeye is almost always harmless and will get better without treatment.

    But some forms of conjunctivitis can become serious and sight-threatening, because they can scar your cornea. They include conjunctivitis caused by gonorrhea, chlamydia, or certain strains of the adenovirus.

    If caused by a virus, pinkeye gets better in 2 to 3 weeks. If caused by bacteria, antibiotics may speed up the process.

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    When To See A Doctor About Eye Allergies

    Though allergic conjunctivitis isnt contagious and wont cause eye damage, its important to know for sure that you dont have another type of conjunctivitis or eye infection. Eye allergy symptoms can often be indistinguishable from those of viral and bacterial conjunctivitis and other serious eye infections.

    If your symptoms are severe or last more than a week or so, you should talk to your doctor. Most doctors will recommend having an exam to rule out bacterial conjunctivitis and other infections, as well as to make sure you receive the proper treatment. Plus, if you have severe or chronic eye allergies, your doctor may be able to prescribe a stronger antihistamine or eyedrops to help relieve your symptoms.

    If you dont already have an eye doctor you see regularly, we have some great information available for you on how to choose the right eye doctor for your needs.

    The American Optometric Association recommends that everyone should have a comprehensive eye exam every one to two years, depending on age. So, whether you need relief from eye allergies or its just been a while since your last eye exam, find an experienced eye doctor near you and schedule an appointment.

    Schedule an exam

    If You Arent Sure About Your Eye Symptoms

    First of all, dont panic. If your eye allergy symptoms are not accompanied by the main symptoms of coronavirus , try treating your allergy symptoms as you usually do. If you are still concerned about your eye symptoms, call Dr. Beeve’s office.

    If your eye allergy symptoms do include any of the coronavirus symptoms mentioned above, call your healthcare provider right away for medical adviceespecially if you have breathing issues, chest pain or pressure, or fever.

    Finally, remember these very important steps for taking care of your eyes and yourself: wash your hands often and avoid touching your eyes or your face.

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    Can I Treat My Pink Eye At Home

    Usually, yes. Most cases of pink eye will go away on their own. You dont always need to see a doctor if you have pink eye.

    To help your eyes feel less dry, you can use a type of over-the-counter eye drops called artificial tears. You can also use a cold compress to help with swelling and redness.

    If your pink eye is caused by an infection, it can be contagious. You can keep it from spreading by:

    • Not sharing towels, bed sheets, or make up
    • Throwing out tissues after wiping your eyes
    • Washing your hands frequently

    You Notice: Bald Toes

    Pink eye, this is how it is spread and cured

    It could be: Arterial disease

    If the fuzz on your toes suddenly disappears, it could signal poor blood circulation caused by peripheral arterial disease . Signs of PAD can include decreased hair growth on the feet and ankles, purplish toes, and thin or shiny skin, says Suzanne Fuchs, DPM, a podiatric surgeon in private practice at Luxe Podiatry in Palm Beach, FL. Symptoms are subtle, but doctors can check for a healthy pulse in the foot. In severe cases, they may spot PAD on an X-ray. If I take an X-ray of a broken foot, and I see a hardening of the arteries, 99 per cent of the time, the same thing is happening in the heart blood vessels, says Gary A. Pichney, DPM, a podiatric surgeon of The Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.

    Learn to spot the silent signs you may have clogged arteries.

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    How To Treat Pink Eye

    It depends. If you know that your pink eye is definitely caused by allergies, its fine to manage your symptoms with your usual allergy meds or other at-home remedies.

    But if you don’t know the culprit of your conjunctivitis, head to the doctor. He or she can confirm if you have a contagious form of pink eyelike viral or bacterial. Your doctor might also prescribe antibiotic eye drops for bacterial pink eye, which can help you recover faster. As for viral pink eye? Most meds wont be effective, so youll likely have to wait a week or two for the infection to clear up on its own, according to the Centers for Disease Control .

    Its also a good idea to call your doctor if your symptoms become severe. Think: eye pain, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, intense redness, or symptoms that dont improve with antibiotics, according to the CDC says. You should also seek medical care if you have a condition that causes a weakened immune system.

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