Learning About Pink Eye

Most people will visit their Miami optometrist at some point in their life because they are suffering from pink eye. This condition is caused by an inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is a part of the eye. The cause for the inflammation can vary, but this is what causes the eye to have that unnatural pinkish hue. There are many things that eye doctors in Miami can do to treat people who are dealing with this problem, but they must first figure out the exact cause of the inflammation. Some people get this condition because of a virus, but others get it because of a bacterial infection. Identifying the cause of the inflammation will allow an eye doctor to properly treat their patient.

How to Properly Identify Pinkeye

Most people know that their eye is going to turn red if they get something in it or have an allergic reaction, but many people don’t know about the identifying factors of pink eye. It’s important to know when a problem is caused by pink eye and not something minor because there are times when conjunctivitis can be serious. These are common identifying factors of pink eye that an eye doctor in Miami will tell their patient to be on the lookout for:

● A thick discharge, usually yellow, that crusts over the eyes and lashes as a person sleeps.

● Redness in the normally white part of the eyeball.

● Eyes that itch or burn.

● Blurred vision.

● Increased tear production. This is the body’s natural response to fighting a foreign object, which could be anything from bacteria to debris.

● Green or white colored discharge coming from the eyeball.

Properly Dealing With Pink Eye

In most cases, pink eye will go away on its own. However, there are times when a patient will have to be prescribed special medication to deal with it. Other than being caused by bacteria or viruses, people can also get pink eye from common household irritants like shampoo. This is considered a minor case of pink eye, and it will likely go away within a few days. People who forget to wear their eyeglasses in Miami Beach and get a foreign object in their eye are also dealing with a minor case of pink eye. However, if an eye doctor tells their patient they have a virus that needs to be taken seriously, then they would be wise to follow all directions that the eye doctor provides.

photo credit: Sonrisa cómplice via photopin (license)