Are your eyes acting a little funky today? If
one of both of your eyes looks red or pink, feels itchy or burns, is oozing a
gooey or watery liquid, or is stuck shut, you most likely have pink eye. If this is you, it may warrant visiting an urgent care clinic for pink eye treatment.
Pink eye, formally known as conjunctivitis,
occurs when one or both eyes become extremely irritated. There are four ways
this can happen: you can have a viral infection, a bacterial infection, be suffering
from allergies, or, something random is inflicting your eye. Here’s a breakdown
of all four along with tips on how to deal with them.
Viral Infection
Many people who suffer from viral conjunctivitis do so due to a viral infection that is connected to a current or recent cold. This occurs because viral pink eye is most often caused by the same virus that causes the common cold. Thus along with cold-like symptoms, common signs of viral conjunctivitis include redness, excessive watery or gooey discharge, and often a strange gritty and burning feeling in the eye. Because viral pink eye is so contagious, the second eye will typically become infected in less than two days. If you have a viral infection, rinse your eye out with water often and avoid touching your face. There is no cure for viral pink eye, so you’ll have to wait it out.
Bacterial Infection
Bacterial conjunctivitis is also very common and very contagious. The symptoms include redness and discharge, but the discharge is often thicker than viral infections. In the morning, your eye will most likely be glued shut do to the thick discharge. Also, the stuff coming out of your eye may be white, yellow or even green in color. If you have these symptoms you should visit a primary care doctor immediately for antibiotic eye drops or ointment, which clears the infection quickly.
Many people who suffer from viral conjunctivitis do so due to a viral infection that is connected to a current or recent cold. This occurs because viral pink eye is most often caused by the same virus that causes the common cold. Thus along with cold-like symptoms, common signs of viral conjunctivitis include redness, excessive watery or gooey discharge, and often a strange gritty and burning feeling in the eye. Because viral pink eye is so contagious, the second eye will typically become infected in less than two days. If you have a viral infection, rinse your eye out with water often and avoid touching your face. There is no cure for viral pink eye, so you’ll have to wait it out.
Bacterial Infection
Bacterial conjunctivitis is also very common and very contagious. The symptoms include redness and discharge, but the discharge is often thicker than viral infections. In the morning, your eye will most likely be glued shut do to the thick discharge. Also, the stuff coming out of your eye may be white, yellow or even green in color. If you have these symptoms you should visit a primary care doctor immediately for antibiotic eye drops or ointment, which clears the infection quickly.
Allergies
Many people suffer from conjunctivitis due to airborne allergens flying into the eye, such as pollen and dander. Allergy conjunctivitis often occurs seasonally, and people who suffer from it learn over time to expect it. Symptoms include redness, itchiness, and sometimes watery discharge. If over the counter allergy eye drops do not help, you should visit a physician for help.
Many people suffer from conjunctivitis due to airborne allergens flying into the eye, such as pollen and dander. Allergy conjunctivitis often occurs seasonally, and people who suffer from it learn over time to expect it. Symptoms include redness, itchiness, and sometimes watery discharge. If over the counter allergy eye drops do not help, you should visit a physician for help.
Something Else
Sometimes you’ll have redness and discharge in your eye without having allergies or an infection. Sometimes, it something random; things get caught in the eye (chemicals, dust, hair) that cause it to be irritated. Or, people with really dry eyes may experience redness all the time. Rinsing your eye out with water and using over the counter eye drops usually clears this up. If it doesn’t clear in three days or is incredibly painful from the start, visit a doctor for help.
Sometimes you’ll have redness and discharge in your eye without having allergies or an infection. Sometimes, it something random; things get caught in the eye (chemicals, dust, hair) that cause it to be irritated. Or, people with really dry eyes may experience redness all the time. Rinsing your eye out with water and using over the counter eye drops usually clears this up. If it doesn’t clear in three days or is incredibly painful from the start, visit a doctor for help.
If you are
feeling any kind of discomfort in your eye that is not healing on its own,
visit Dr. Slava Fuzayloff, a walk in
doctor with years of experience in pink eye treatment. He’s one of the few board certified physicians that take
walk-ins, so you can get help fast. Thanks to his efficient staff, wait times
rarely exceed 25 minutes for walk-ins. Or, make a same day appointment by
visiting WalkInClinicNY.com or by
calling 212-696-5900.
Let’s be honest - having pink eye looks and feels pretty gross, so get help today.
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