Pinkeye
Pinkeye
When Your Eyes "Have a Cold"
Pinkeye is the commonly used term for an eye infection known as conjunctivitis. It's sometimes called red-eye, because the infection renders the eyeball (or eyeballs) either pink or bloodshot red. If you have pinkeye, your eyelids may be irritated and itchy, and your eyes may leak a watery discharge, just like your nose does when you have a cold.
Pinkeye may be caused by a virus and may accompany a chest cold or sore throat. But it may also be caused by bacteria or irritations such as dry eyes, pollution or allergies, says Dickie McMullan, M.D., an ophthalmologist in private practice in Atlanta.
Chances are, if you get pinkeye in one eye, it will spread to your other eye, no matter how careful you are, says Jody Piltz, M.D., assistant professor of ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia.
SUPREME RELIEF
The good news is that, left untreated, viral pinkeye almost always goes away by itself within a matter of weeks, says Dr. McMullan. And there are a number of ways to ease the discomfort--and control the contagion until your eyes get back to normal.
Keep your hands away from your eyes. "If you rub your eyes, they'll turn twice as red and feel more irritated," says Silvia Orengo-Nania, M.D., assistant clinical professor of ophthalmology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. And rubbing your eyes is likely to spread the infection from one eye to the other.
Apply a cold compress. Place a cool washcloth or wet paper towel over your eyes to soothe the irritation, says Dr. Orengo-Nania. Repeat for ten minutes at a time, as often as you feel the need.
Wear glasses, not contacts. "If you have pinkeye, wearing contacts feels like a splinter," says Charlotte Saxby, M.D., an ophthalmologist with the Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound in Seattle. "Plus, the contact holds the germ right against your eyeball." If you wear glasses instead of contact lenses while your eye is infected, your eye is likely to heal a lot faster.
When To See A Doctor
Pinkeye that lingers for longer than a week may signal a more serious problem, says Silvia Orengo-Nania, M.D., assistant clinical professor of ophthalmology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. See your doctor if you experience: * Puslike discharge from one or both eyes * Loss of vision * Dull, strong pain or sharp pain in one or both eyes
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Don sunglasses when you go out. Sunlight irritates pinkeye, says Dr. Orengo-Nania. Sunglasses with ultraviolet protection will help reduce the glare and make you less self-conscious about baring your red or pink eye to the world.
Drop in artificial tears. Available over the counter, artificial tear drops will flush out and soothe your eye, says Dr. Saxby. Use them as frequently as you need to.
Or try special eyedrops. Other over-the-counter eyedrops, such as Naphcon-A, combine a decongestant and antihistamine (to help stop the itching), says Kathleen Lamping, M.D., associate clinical professor of ophthalmology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
But don't use them for more than two weeks without a break, cautions Dr. Orengo-Nania. Eyes easily become habituated to vasoconstrictors--substances that shrink blood vessels--so if you overuse these drops, your eyes will start looking red even after your pinkeye clears.
Throw out your eye makeup. If you wear makeup while you have pinkeye, you'll contaminate your makeup wand or liner and may spread the pinkeye to your other eye, says Dr. Orengo-Nania.
Wash away discharge twice a day. Lay a warm, wet cloth or towel over your eyelids for a minute or two and then wipe gently away toward the corner of your eye, says Dr. Saxby. To make sure that you don't spread pinkeye to other family members, it's best to launder the towel after each use.
