Pink Eye Symptoms and Treatment From Our Ashburn Optometrist
Pink eye is medically known as conjunctivitis, which is an inflammation of the lining of the eyelid and/or the surface of the eye. The eye ailment can be caused by bacteria or viruses, allergies, dry eye and certain airborne chemicals. Our optometrist in Ashburn can diagnose and treat your pink eye.
Symptoms of Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis that is caused by a virus or bacteria is extremely contagious. To prevent the spread, we recommend washing your hands often and not sharing items that have come in contact with the infected eye. If you wear contacts, you will want to stop wearing them and discard any cases and products that have come in contact with the lenses, including the contacts.
- Discharge
- Excessive tearing of the eyes
- Eyelid swelling
- Having red or pink colored eyes
- Itching or burning sensations and pain in the eyes or eyelids
Diagnosing and Treating Conjunctivitis with our Optometrist
Our optometrists can examine your eyes and take a medical history to determine if you have viral or bacterial conjunctivitis or if your symptoms are caused by allergies, airborne chemical exposure or dry eye.
Viral conjunctivitis usually lasts between five and seven days and does not respond to antibiotic treatments. Instead, our eye doctor will recommend ways to reduce your symptoms. If you have bacterial conjunctivitis, our eye doctor may recommend antibiotic eye drops to help clear the infection.
If our eye doctor determines that your conjunctivitis is being caused by allergies or airborne chemical exposure, we may recommend antihistamine drops or allergy medications as well as ways to reduce your exposure to allergens and chemicals. Conjunctivitis that is the result of dry eye will require treatments for dry eye, including drops and creams to help keep your eyes lubricated.