If you have ever had pink eye or conjunctivitis, formally called conjunctivitis by your eye doctor, you know how uncomfortable this condition feels. Related symptoms inflame your eye and surrounding tissues. The condition is also very contagious. Many patients ask the experts at Clarity Vision, “Will pink eye damage my vision?”
 

What is conjunctivitis?

Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva tissue of your eye. This tissue is a thin lining of your eye’s outer surface and inner eyelids. It is clear, so you likely never noticed this tissue until pink eye strikes.

Both adults and children can get this condition, although it more commonly affects young people. It is highly contagious, so your child can pick up the viral infection at school or among friends.

When you have this condition, it can be acute or chronic. Your diagnosis as acute or chronic depends on your symptoms, the condition’s cause and how long it lasts. Acute conjunctivitis typically heals after only a few days. The chronic form lasts longer, even returning time and again after you think it has healed.
 

Can conjunctivitis damage my vision?

Most patients ask, “Can this infection damage my vision?” Luckily, as uncomfortable as the condition is, it does not typically lead to long-term eye damage. But some rare cases left untreated can cause permanent vision problems. Protecting your eye health and vision come down to seeing your eye doctor when you notice early symptoms.
 

What causes conjunctivitis?

Pink eye is typically caused by a viral infection. This adenovirus often strikes after you feel better from a cold or flu. But it can also occur with no connected illnesses, any time. Children notoriously spread the condition. It is extremely contagious and tends to affect multiple children in a daycare or school setting.

Allergies also cause conjunctivitis. Seasonal allergies or those caused by pet dander, mold spores and dust frequently lead to this infection. There are many myths about what causes it, but the common causes include:

• Bacterial infection after colds, flu or other respiratory infections

• Seasonal allergies and other allergies

• Environmental toxins such as preservatives in saline solution

• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like chlamydia and gonorrhea

Babies can suffer STIs at birth when their mother has these conditions. As a result, many infants develop conjunctivitis that can cause blindness.
 

Symptoms of Conjunctivitis and Pink Eye

Conjunctivitis can strike in one eye or both at the same time. Symptoms include:

• Watery or pus discharge

• Redness and irritation of the eye

• Matting of eyelids

• Light sensitivity

• Mild or severe pain

• Itching

• Burning

• Feeling of a foreign body in the eye

Matting of the eyes due to discharge is one of the clear indicators of the condition. Upon waking, you may notice your eyelids crusted shut or lashes matted together due to sticky discharge that hardens while you sleep. This crust makes it hard to open your eyes upon waking.
 

Pink Eye Treatment

Treatment for your conjunctivitis depends on what type of infection you have and its severity. Feel free to ask your eye doctor, “Will this condition damage my vision” for a clearer perspective. But most people do fine with short-term treatment and quickly return to good eye health.

The most common treatment methods include:

• Eye ointments

• Eye drops

• Cold compresses

• Allergy treatment

• Prescribed medication

If allergies or environmental chemicals cause your eye problem, your eye doctor will help pinpoint this cause. You can then remove that product or allergen from your environment to avoid future problems with the irritating eye condition. Typically, treatment for pink eye resolves the problem in several days. But some types take as long as a few weeks.
 

Do I have conjunctivitis?

To find out if you have this common and highly contagious condition, schedule a visit with your optometrist or ophthalmologist today. In the Triangle Area of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, Clarity Vision Centers offer multiple convenient locations that can diagnose and treat your eye health problem. These include:

• Smithfield, NC

• Apex, NC

• Williamston, NC

• Clayton, NC

• Holly Springs, NC

• Suffolk, VA
   

Schedule your visit by finding the Clarity Vision Centers office nearest you.