Are You at Risk? Conjunctivitis and Its Causes

Conjunctivitis is a common eye infection with some seriously uncomfortable symptoms. It can be very contagious, especially in its viral form (pink eye), but it’s fairly easy to treat if you know where to start.

If you’re worried that you might be at risk of contracting conjunctivitis, Pair wants to help you achieve some peace of mind. To do that, we’ll need to cover all the causes of conjunctivitis, the symptoms you should look for, and the best ways to quickly recover.

What Is Conjunctivitis?

The conjunctiva is the mucous membrane that protects the front of your eye and lines the inside of your eyelids. This membrane is full of tiny blood vessels, which can become inflamed because of bacteria, a virus, or even allergies. When this inflammation gives your eye a pink or red hue, it’s a telltale sign that you might have conjunctivitis.

What Are the Common Types of Conjunctivitis?

Next, let’s look at the most common causes of conjunctivitis through different conjunctivitis types, as well as the best ways to avoid this unpleasant eye condition.

Viral Conjunctivitis

Viral conjunctivitis is very common, and in this case, an infected eye is a response to a virus. Multiple viruses, including adenoviruses and herpes simplex viral infections, can cause conjunctivitis.

Because viruses spread like wildfire, this is the most contagious form of conjunctivitis. It spreads through contact with an infected person’s eye discharge or respiratory droplets, which can survive on certain surfaces for long periods of time.

One reason why viral conjunctivitis is so common is its spreadability. The infection often moves through the shared use of hand towels, washcloths, and other potentially germy household items, and it can also spread between kids through shared toys. That’s why it’s common for everyone living in a house to come down with pink eye if a roommate or family member gets it.

Bacterial Conjunctivitis

This form of conjunctivitis is less common, but multiple types of bacteria can cause it. The main culprits are Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumonia, and Haemophilus influenzae. Like viral conjunctivitis, a bacterial infection is contagious and spreads in the same way a virus would.

The most significant risk factor for conjunctivitis is neglecting eye care and overall hygiene. If you touch your eyes with dirty hands, for example, you can transfer bacteria from hand to eye, inflaming your conjunctiva and causing an infection.

That’s why washing your hands thoroughly throughout the day, especially after using the bathroom, is one of the best ways to avoid a case of conjunctivitis.

Allergic Conjunctivitis

Allergies can also cause pink eye. Specific allergens, like pet dander, pollen, dust mites, and mold, can chronically irritate the conjunctiva in your eyes but won’t lead to a contagious infection. Instead, allergic reactions can cause common conjunctivitis symptoms that won’t spread to foreign bodies.

Thankfully, this form of conjunctivitis is sometimes easier to remedy since there isn’t a risk of passing an infection to friends, family members, and coworkers.

Chemical Conjunctivitis

Chemicals like chlorine and ammonia can irritate your eye and cause severe pain. If you can’t get these irritating chemicals out of your eyes thoroughly and quickly, you might end up with an acute case of non-contagious conjunctivitis.

This type of conjunctivitis is most common among people who work with volatile chemicals, but it can also affect anyone who uses heavy-duty household cleaners.

Conjunctivitis From Contact Lenses

If you don’t clean your contacts thoroughly, they can cause conjunctivitis. If you wear them too long, sleep with them on, or don’t replace their case regularly, they can cause an allergic reaction to built-up protein deposits.

One of the most common mistakes that contact-wearers make is forgetting to set reminders for replacing lenses and cases. Depending on the type of contacts you use, you’ll need to swap out your lenses daily and your case at least once a month to avoid irritation and infection.

Conjunctivitis From Eye Makeup

If you use expired makeup, you might expose your eyes to all kinds of bacteria. That’s a scary thought, but it’s easy to avoid by checking the expiration dates on your cosmetics. Once eye makeup expires, throw it out and start fresh. The bacteria that can grow on old makeup products is another common cause of pink eye.

Additionally, make sure to clean your makeup brushes regularly and replace them as needed. These brushes can transfer bacteria into your eyes, especially if they’re accidentally shared with someone who has pink eye. To keep your brushes germ-free, you can use a specialized solution to clean them.

What Are the Symptoms of Conjunctivitis?

Conjunctivitis can make your eyes red or pink, which is why it’s often called pink eye. This color change occurs because of inflammation of the conjunctiva in your eyes.

In addition to the pink or red eyes, you can expect some itching when you have conjunctivitis. This symptom is especially common if you’re dealing with a form of non-infectious conjunctivitis due to allergies or irritating chemicals. In these cases, antihistamines or artificial tears can help you get some relief.

Pink eye can also cause watery eyes. The thick or watery discharge from an infected eye can have different colors, including clear, yellow, and green, depending on what’s causing your pink eye symptoms.

Additionally, pink eye can make your eyes swollen, puffy, and crusty. Crusting around the eyelids is usually a symptom of bacterial conjunctivitis, which might mean you need an antibiotic to fully recover.

Finally, conjunctivitis might make you tear up quite a bit. Ongoing conjunctival irritation can make you cry, and these tears usually come alongside that nasty discharge we mentioned before.

Are You at Risk of Developing Conjunctivitis?

The most significant risk factors for conjunctivitis are your age, wearing contact lenses, and your personal hygiene.

Kids are more likely to develop both viral and bacterial conjunctivitis. That’s for one simple reason: kids aren’t always good at keeping their hands to themselves. This means that when one child has a case of pink eye, they’re likely to spread it at daycare or school. Adults often contract pink eye from their kids as well.

Using contacts can also increase your risk of developing conjunctivitis. Whether you wear glasses or contacts, prioritize eye health and hygiene to avoid transferring bacteria from your hands onto your contacts or into your eyes.

Personal hygiene is the last factor that puts you at risk of contracting pink eye. If you don’t wash your hands regularly, trim your fingernails when needed, or wear gloves when handling germy objects, you can expose yourself to countless viruses and bacteria.

That’s not just risky when it comes to pink eye — it also makes it hard to keep yourself healthy in general.

How To Lower Your Risk of Pink Eye

The simplest way to avoid pink eye is to keep your hands clean and avoid touching your face or rubbing your eyes.

For some folks, breaking the habit of eye-rubbing is extremely difficult. We get it, especially if you’re tired or have seasonal allergies. However, doing whatever you can to avoid rubbing your eyes, especially with unwashed hands, is worth it to reduce your risk of conjunctivitis.

In addition, we strongly advise you not to share toiletries like washcloths, makeup brushes, and bath towels with other people. Sharing these items is one of the main ways that pink eye spreads within a household, which can also mean the infection will spread to even more people outside of your home.

Managing your allergies can also help you get rid of pink eye symptoms. If you’re sneezing, itching your eyes, or dealing with symptoms that seem like the common cold along with your conjunctivitis, such as a sore throat, it might be a sign that allergies are the real culprit.

Achieve Relief From Conjunctivitis

Thankfully, you can usually recover from conjunctivitis at home without much medication. Cool compresses can help, and so can over-the-counter eye drops. If you have conjunctivitis because of a bacterial infection, an ophthalmologist can also prescribe you antibiotic eye drops.

Pink eye treatment for cases caused by allergies usually looks like taking antihistamines and practicing good hygiene to keep bacteria out of your eyes.

If you’re dealing with a case of pink eye, don’t stress. It’s worth it to talk to your eye doctor or another healthcare provider to rule out a bacterial infection, but after that, your top priority is to rest up and let your eyes heal on their own. It’s a frustrating process, but you’ll be back to normal in no time.

Sources

Pink eye (conjunctivitis) - Symptoms and causes | Mayo Clinic

How to Prevent Pink Eye | Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) | CDC

Pink Eye | Cleveland Clinic

Allergies: Symptoms, Reaction, Treatment & Management | Cleveland Clinic