Pink eye is an infection that affects the eyes and is caused by bacteria spread by your hands. If your hands have bacteria and germs on them, and you rub your eyes, it can spread those germs/bacteria to your eyes. If you have an eye issue, you should go to the optometrist for an exam for a diagnosis and for treatment. If you have pink eye, it is contagious and you can spread it to others easily. Make sure you get treated for pink eye if you suspect this is what you have. Read on for some of the symptoms of pink eye and other tips.
Symptoms And Signs Of Pink Eye
Pink eye is named this because the eye is usually pink or even red in color. It can feel itchy and may even burn when the eye is closed. Your eyes can tear up, and you'll have yellow or green discharge coming from the eye. You may wake up to this discharge and crust on the eye. Your eyes may feel like they are dried out, which is why you may feel compelled to rub your eyes. Stop yourself from touching your eyes and your face altogether, as you can spread more germs to yourself or to others.
What You Can Do To Treat Pink Eye
If you suspect that you have pink eye, you need to be sure you get to the optometrist for treatment. The optometrist will look at your eyes and give you eye drops that you should use according to the instructions given by your optometrist. Don't share your eye drops with anyone else in your household to prevent spreading germs and make sure you wash your hands before and after giving yourself the eye drops.
To clean up the discharge on your eyes, use a warm washcloth and gently rub the crust and discharge away from the eyes and face. Wash this cloth separately in your laundry and use hot water to wash it to remove the bacteria and prevent it from spreading to others.
Keep away from others until you have been treated for a few days with the eye drops. If your child has pink eye, talk to the optometrist about how long your child should be kept home from school.
If you suspect you have pink eye, get to the optometrist right away for an exam, diagnosis, and treatment right away to prevent it from worsening or spreading to your other eye or to others.
We all know how important it is to get regular eye examinations. We want to educate people of all ages on the importance of taking care of their eyes so that they can preserve their vision for as long as possible. Our blog posts will cover topics such as age-related eye disorders such as open-angle and closed-angle glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration. We'll also provide you with information on contact lens care, minor eye irritations, bifocal glasses, eye infections, and medications that can cause eye problems. If we can help you keep your eyes healthy, then we've done our job.