Conjunctivitis: Bacterial, Viral, Allergic And Other Types
All forms of conjunctivitis — including bacterial, viral, allergic and other types — involve inflammation of the transparent, mucous membrane (conjunctiva) covering the white part of the eye or sclera.
Infectious causes of an inflamed eye and conjunctivitis include bacteria, viruses and fungi. Non-infectious causes include allergies, foreign bodies and chemicals.
The phrase "pink eye" is commonly used to refer to conjunctivitis, because pinkness or redness of the conjunctiva is one of the most noticeable symptoms.
Types Of Conjunctivitis
Bacterial conjunctivitis is a common type of pink eye, caused by bacteria that infect the eye through various sources of contamination.
As with any bacterial infection, antibiotics are required to eliminate the bacteria. Treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis is typically accomplished with topical antibiotic eye drops and/or eye ointments. The treatment usually takes from one to two weeks, depending on the severity of the infection.
Viral conjunctivitis is another common type of pink eye that is highly contagious, because airborne viruses can be spread through sneezing and coughing. Viral conjunctivitis also can accompany common viral upper respiratory infections such as measles, the flu or the common cold.
Viral conjunctivitis usually produces a watery discharge. Typically the infection starts in one eye and quickly spreads to the other eye.
Typically with viral conjunctivitis, the third through the fifth days are the worst. After that, eyes begin to improve on their own.
