Be Prepared for Pink Eye
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Your son or daughter brings so much home from school - social experiences, an education, and any of the illnesses that seem to plague young kids who share the tight space of a classroom.
Colds and head lice are some of the common maladies of childhood. But another is conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye. Who hasn't experienced a child who has woken up with red eyes and caked-shut eyelids?
Conjunctivitis is one of most common illnesses of childhood. It is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the clear membrane that covers the white part of the eye and the inner surface of the eyelids. Pink eye can be caused by a number of conditions, all of which may not require treatment or be contagious. Pink eye may stem from viruses that lead to colds or bacteria. Allergies can also cause pink eye. Irritation of the eye from other causes, such as from a rubbing contact lens or contaminants in the air, may be other sources.
Symptoms of pink eye can include a feeling of irritation in the eye, such as grains of sand being caught in the eyelid. Many kids have redness of the eye and inner eyelid, which is why conjunctivitis goes by the name pink eye. Sticky discharge that causes the lids to stick together is also common.
Conjunctivits caused by bacteria or viruses is contagious and will usually require treatment. Allergic conjunctivits or when the condition is caused by environmental factors is not. However, because it is difficult for a parent to determine the cause of pink eye on his or her own, for safety's sake all cases of pink eye should be brought to the attention of a doctor.
With cases of contagious conjunctivis there are many ways that it can spread. In terms of viruses and bacteria, touching an infected eye and then touching another person can spread pink eye. It can also be passed through the air by coughing or sneezing. In the summer, kids often get pink eye from swimming in contaminated water or sharing towels. Upon determining if the pink eye is contagious, a doctor will likely recommend staying home from school or daycare for a few days.
Treatment for conjunctivitis typically involves eye drops or salve. If there is a bacterial infection present, antibiotic eye drops will be part of the course of treatment.