Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis is more commonly known as pink eye. It is an infection or inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is the transparent membrane that lines the eyelid, covering the sclera (the white part) of your eyeball.
With pink eye, the small blood vessels in the conjunctiva become inflamed, making them more visible and appear reddish or pinkish in color.
Conjunctivitis spreads via bacterial or viral infection, or by an allergic reaction. Babies can also experience pink eye, due to incompletely opened tear ducts.
What are the symptoms of conjunctivitis?
Itchiness and/or redness in one or both of the eyes and tearing up. Your eyes may also experience a gritty sensation. Over the course of sleep, a discharge in one or both of the eyes may form a crust that will make it difficult to open one or both eyes in the morning.
Pink eye only affects the vision in rare cases.
What are the treatments?
Over-the-counter treatments, or those prescribed by a doctor, can help ease the irritation of pink eye.* We recommend that you get it diagnosed and treated quickly, as that will help to limit the spread of this contagious infection.* Pink eye can be contagious for as long as two weeks, so it’s best to see a doctor the moment you notice any signs or symptoms.*
* Individual results may vary.