Eye Infections
Eye infections are usually conditions that are caused by bacteria, viruses or other microbiological agents. While there are many different types of eye infections with different causes and treatments, some are quite common and affect many people around the world at one time or another. These include blepharitis, conjunctivitis, and keratitis.
Trachoma is a form of conjunctivitis that is frequently seen in developing countries and causes irreparable scarring of the cornea. One of the earliest recorded eye diseases in the world, trachoma affects as many as 400 million people globally and is a leading cause of blindness. Most eye infections require medication to resolve.
What Are Infections of the Eye?
Blepharitis
Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelids. It may be caused by infection or inflammation and can be associated with poor hygiene, dry eye or oily skin. The condition often begins as a type of eye inflammation but can rapidly proceed to infection. The condition may become chronic.
Sufferers may experience itching, burning, scratchiness, foreign body sensation, excessive tearing and crusty debris around the eyelashes. If chronic, blepharitis cannot be cured, but it can be controlled with better hand and eye hygiene. Individuals should scrub their eyelids to remove oily secretions. Physicians may recommend that patients scrub their eyelids with a mild baby shampoo and wash cloth. Lastly, an antibiotic ointment or eye drop may be prescribed to apply at the base of the lashes before bedtime.
Conjunctivitis
Bacterial & viral conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye, are infections of the conjunctiva. Symptoms include red, irritated, watery eyes with a burning and scratchy feeling. There may be pus or a watery discharge. Pink eye is spread easily, so it's important to discard cosmetics and wash anything that comes in contact with an infected eye – including hands, clothes, towels and bedding.
Allergic conjunctivitis, or eye allergies, is a swelling of the conjunctiva due to allergens that may be in the air or introduced directly into the eye. Symptoms include red, itchy, watery eyes with a burning and scratchy feeling. Unlike other forms of conjunctivitis, allergic conjunctivitis is not contagious.
Keratitis
Bacterial keratitis is a corneal ulcer – an infection of the cornea by bacteria. Two of the most common causes are abrasion of the cornea with foreign bodies and poor hygiene of contact lenses.
Causing a number of symptoms such as eye pain, redness, itching and burning, a white patch on the cornea, increased tearing and sensitivity to light, bacterial keratitis requires early attention by an eye care professional. Ulceration and further injury to the cornea can be prevented with proper treatment, in addition to avoiding permanent damage to the cornea.
Fungal keratitis is a serious and painful corneal disease caused by fungus. Usually occurring after ocular trauma associated with plant matter or in immuno-compromised individuals, fungal keratitis has recently increased among contact lens wearers. Symptoms include sudden blurred or fuzzy vision, red or irritated eyes lasting for an unusually long period of time after removal of the contact lens, pain in and around the eyes, an increased sensitivity to light or excessive eye tearing or discharge. Ulceration and further or permanent damage to the cornea can be prevented with prompt and proper treatment.
Eye care specialists often rely on antibiotics to treat eye infections once the patient is affected. Alcon offers several ophthalmic antibiotic solutions and ointments that are popular with physicians due to their safety and effectiveness in treating many conditions involving ocular infections.
Even though effective treatment is readily available in many areas of the world, these mostly preventable infections can be controlled on a global scale quite simply. Education and proper hygiene are often the best prevention, in addition to helping to minimize the impact or spread of an outbreak once an individual is infected.
