By: Jocelyn Lee
Conjunctivitis, more commonly known as pinkeye, is very common among children. It is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the white part of the eye, and the inner eyelids. When it is contagious, it can spread in the classroom or at the playground quickly. It is important to be able to identify pinkeye in your child, as it is highly contagious. Understanding what conjunctivitis is and how to prevent it is crucial to reducing the spread of pinkeye to others.
Symptoms of pinkeye often include discharge, pain, swelling of the conjunctiva or the eyelids, and sensitivity to light. It may affect one or both eyes. It is important to see your doctor if you think that your child has pinkeye. Although pinkeye is a minor infection, other serious eye diseases have similar symptoms. Seeing your doctor also helps you get proper treatment and reduce the spread to others.
There are four types of conjunctivitis: viral, bacterial, irritant, and allergic. Viral and bacterial conjunctivitis are contagious. Viral pink eye is caused by a virus. It is contagious before symptoms start and end when symptoms stop. Bacterial pinkeye is caused by bacteria from some common illnesses, such as an ear infection. It is generally spread through contamination. It can be spread to others starting when symptoms appear and last for as long as there is eye discharge.
Irritant and allergic conjunctivitis are not contagious. Irritant pinkeye is caused by something that irritates the eye, such as chlorine or smoke. Allergic pinkeye is caused by outside allergens, such as pollen or grass. It may be seasonal, depending on the environment.
Pinkeye can be controlled and prevented by having good hand hygiene. Be sure to teach your kids to wash their hands well with warm water and soap, especially before and after touching their face. Keeping objects that often come in contact with hands and faces, such as knobs, handles, toys, and phones, carefully sanitized will also help prevent the spread of pinkeye.
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