Conjunctivitis - Symptoms & How To Treat Them Quickly

When our eyes are exposed to allergens and irritants, the most common being pollen from trees, perfumes and cosmetics, air pollution, smoke, etc, it affects and causes irritation to the conjunctiva.

This conjunctiva is a kind of a thin membrane that covers our eyes. Hence, this allergic infection is known as the conjunctivitis.

There are certain allergic conjunctivitis that are seasonal caused by pollens and few that occur throughout the year and are caused by the everyday dust mites at home.

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However, the best part about allergic conjunctivitis is that it does not affect one's vision. With accurate diagnosis and timely medication, it is curable.

Symptoms of Conjunctivitis:

The major symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis include itchy eyes and then the white inner lid area around the eye turns red, as a result one gets tears in the eyes.

When the condition turns worse, few of them also get mucus discharge from the eyes accompanied with swelling of the eyelids.

Treatment for Conjunctivits:

Keeping the House Clean: The first and foremost thing which one can do is to stay away from the allergens leading to conjunctivitis. The floor carpet is the single most absorber of dust mites in one's house, which should be kept clean.

Prevent Outdoor Allergens: The pillows and mattresses that you use need to be allergen free. Keeping the windows and doors closed is yet another prevention against outdoor allergens to enter one's house.

Careful With Pets: Those having pet animals need to be extra careful, for they are also one of the main reasons that can lead to the spread of allergens, which might prove harmful for our eyes.

Cold Water Compress: Apart from all these, taking up the first line of treatment that is easily available at one's home is safe. Soak some cold water in a fresh, clean cloth and apply it as a compressor to the eyes. This will help reduce the irritation caused by allergies to the eyes.

Medications Available For Allergic Conjunctivitis:

There are several medications that are available to reduce the allergens from causing conjunctivitis. Anti-histaminic and decongestant drops also help in relieving the itching and redness in the eyes. Meanwhile, in order to prevent the regular recurrence, mast cell stabilisers can be used.

However, the most important fact that should be kept in mind before taking up any medication for the eyes is that it should be administered only with the advice of doctors and specialists, as wrong dose and medications could lead to permanent blindness.

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Arun SamprathiOphthalmologist and Squint Specialist

D.N.B.(Ophthalmology), FRCS (Edinburgh) in Ophthalmology

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Meet Dr. ARUN SAMPRATHI
D.N.B.(Ophthalmology), FRCS (Edinburgh) in Ophthalmology
He is the founder of Samprathi Eye Hospital and Squint Centre, Bangalore and first Paediatric Ophthalmologist in Bangalore.