Conjunctivitis - Signs And Symptoms 

The symptoms  of infective conjunctivitis will normally begin in one eye. However, after a few days, you will often find  that the other  eye becomes affected too. 

The symptoms of infective conjunctivitis can vary from person  to person, but may include those listed below. 

• Reddening  of the affected eye(s) - this happens  as a result of  the irritation and widening of the tiny blood vessels in your conjunctiva (thin layer of skin inside your eyelids). If your eyes are  very red and very painful, or  if your vision is affected, or if your eyes are extremely sensitive to light (photophobia), you should seek immediate medical assistance. 
• Watering eyes -  the conjunctiva contain thousands of cells that produce mucus, and tiny glands that produce tears. Irritation causes the glands  to become overactive, so that they water more than usual. 
• Sticky coating on eyelashes - you are more likely to notice this when you first wake in  the morning. Your eyelids may feel like they are stuck together because  the pus that  is produced by the infection forms into sticky clumps on your lashes. 
• Slight soreness. 
• Swollen eyelids. 
• Enlarged lymph node in front  of the ear - a lymph node  is part of the body's immune system, and helps protect the body from bacteria and infection. You might feel an enlarged lymph node as  a raised bump, underneath the skin. 

If  you are suffering from infective  conjunctivitis, you may also have the symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection. An upper respiratory tract  infection is one that affects  your throat and airways. Symptoms  may include: 

• coughing, 
• fever, 
• headache, and 
• Aching limbs. 

Causes 

Infective conjunctivitis occurs when  the conjunctiva (the thin layer of cells covering  the white of your  eye and  the inner surface  of your eyelids) becomes inflamed as a result of an  infection. There are a variety of factors which can cause an infection to develop in your eye. The three most common causes are: 

• bacteria, 
• viruses, and 
• Sexually transmitted infection (STI). 

There are no particular signs or symptoms  that will allow your GP to distinguish between a bacterial infection and a viral infection. Both types of  conjunctivitis will normally heal by themselves. If your conjunctivitis  is caused by a sexually transmitted infection (STI), such  as chalmydia, it will usually result in your conjunctivitis lasting for several months, rather than weeks. 

If your condition  is persistent, you will have  an eye swab  to determine  the cause of  the infection (see 'diagnosis' section). If your infective conjunctivitis is caused by an STI, you will have  to undergo screening and treatment for  the infection. Newborn babies can develop conjunctivitis if  the mother has Chlamydia because  the infection is often passed  to the baby during birth. 

Spreading  the infection 

You are more likely to develop infective conjunctivitis if you have been in close contact with someone who is already infected. It is therefore very important that you make sure that you wash your hands thoroughly after coming into contact with someone who has the condition.