It’s annoying to have pink eye, but you can treat it at home. If you forgot to take out your contact lenses before bed one night and woke up with a very red and swollen eye the next morning, you probably had conjunctivitis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States (CDC) says that this condition is often called “pink eye” because the white part of the eye turns red or pink and there is inflammation in that area.
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What Causes Conjunctivitis?
Most of the time, this condition shows up in the eyes because of exposure to viruses, bacteria, or allergens, not because of contact lenses. But “pink eye” can be caused by chemicals, things that get stuck in the eye, air pollution, or even fungi, amoebas, or parasites.
What other Symptoms Besides Redness and Swelling can Appear with Conjunctivitis?
- Inflammation of the eyelid or the conjunctiva
- Have more tears than usual
- feeling like there is something in the eye
- Itching, redness, or pain
- Pus or mucus that comes out of the body
- Eyelids or eyelashes get crusty, especially in the morning
- The contact lenses don’t fit and move around
How Long Does Conjunctivitis Last?
Most cases of conjunctivitis get better in a week or two, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. First of all, if you want to get better quickly, you should stop wearing contact lenses, go back to wearing framed glasses, and stop putting on makeup. If you want your eyes to look bright and healthy again, you’ll need to get rid of any old contact lenses or makeup that might have been contaminated.
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What Home Remedies can Work?
First of all, you can tell if it’s viral conjunctivitis because it doesn’t make as much mucus or pus as bacterial or allergic conjunctivitis and it goes away on its own in a week or two. The bacterial one, on the other hand, can only be treated by a doctor giving you an antibiotic.
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The Academy says that you can do this at home, whether it’s a virus or a bacteria:
- If you are in pain, take ibuprofen.
- Put in tear drops to keep the eye moist and lubricated.
- For a few minutes, put a warm, damp cloth over the eyes. Leave it there until it cools down, and do this as many times as you can throughout the day until you are comfortable. If you have conjunctivitis in both eyes, you need to use different clothes for each one. If your eyelids stick together, use a compress or wet towel to soften the dried mucus so you can open your eyes.
In the case of conjunctivitis that appears due to an allergy:
- Use medicine for allergies
- If you don’t stay away from the thing that gives you the allergy, it won’t go away.
- Apply a hot or warm compress to your eyes.
- Use the drops to make it smooth.
- Always wash your clothes and pillowcases, or take a bath right before bed.
- If your skin is itchy, don’t use hot water compresses. Instead, use ones with cool or room-temperature water.
What you should not Try for the World?
As with your ears, you should never put anything in your eyes without first asking a professional. People often say that breast milk is a good home remedy for conjunctivitis because it has antibodies that can help, but there is no scientific evidence to support this in adults. Instead, it can make your symptoms worse or cause other types of infections because it can add bacteria to your eyes. The Internet also tells you to use your own urine as a treatment, which is also against the law. Less dangerous but still not a good idea is to use herbs or drops that make your skin less red because they can make your condition worse instead of better.
And the Most Important:
Keep your hands away from your eyes because many of the bacteria or viruses that cause conjunctivitis are very easy to spread. So, because of this, your symptoms might get worse or you might be able to give the infection to someone else.
