Is allergic conjunctivitis the same as “pink eye”?

Allergic conjunctivitis is the clinical term of ocular inflammation of the lining or membrane of the eye, called the conjunctiva, caused by allergic reactions to substances. Although a patient may present with red or pink eyes from excess inflammation, the common term pink eye can signify a broad term of conditions and can be misleading, as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other irritating substances can cause redness resembling a pink eye. Your eye doctor can differentiate between an allergy reaction and a true infection, which can lead to faster healing with proper treatments.

What gets rid of pink eye fast?

If you’re having bacterial pink eye symptoms, the fastest way to treat them is to see your local Eye Doctor. Your doctor can prescribe antibiotic eye drops. Using antibiotic eyedrops can shorten the duration of pink eye.

How Long Does Pink Eye Last?

Most of the time, pink eye clears up within a few days to two weeks.

How long are you contagious with pink eye?

Pink eye is a common eye condition that causes painful, red, and itchy eyes. Bacteria, viruses, or allergies can cause pink eye. Viral and bacterial pink eye are both highly contagious. Both adults and children can get pink eye and should stay away from work, school, or daycare until their symptoms clear.

pink eye

What is Viral Conjunctivitis?

Viral conjunctivitis, also called “pink eye”, is a highly contagious eye infection that causes inflammation of the eye’s outer surface. Read on to learn more about this condition and how we can help.

You wake up one morning, look in the mirror and notice that one or both of your eyes is swollen, red, and watery. Is it serious? Will it go away on its own? Should you call your eye doctor?

All great questions — and below we’ll answer them and give you a better understanding of what viral conjunctivitis is and when to contact your eye doctor.

For any and all concerns or questions about your eye health, or to schedule your annual eye exam, Nostlgc Eyewear in Plainview is here for you.

What Is Viral Conjunctivitis?

Commonly known as “pink eye”, conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the eye’s conjunctiva, the thin membrane that lines the inside of the eyelid and covers the eye’s surface. There are three types of conjunctivitis: viral, bacterial, and non-infectious.

The virus that most commonly causes conjunctivitis also causes the common cold, so coughing and sneezing can easily transfer the infection from one host to another.

What are Some Signs and Symptoms?

Someone with viral conjunctivitis may experience any of the following symptoms:

Pink or red eyes
Swollen eyelids
Grittiness
Eye pain or discomfort
Burning sensation
Sensitivity to light
Crusty eyelids in the morning
Watery eye discharge

Because viral conjunctivitis is often caused by the common cold virus, you may experience a runny nose or sore throat along with your pink eye.

When Should You Call Your Eye Doctor?

Even in mild cases of viral conjunctivitis, the infection can be highly contagious, so it is highly recommended to contact your eye doctor to discuss the best ways to manage the condition.

Severe viral conjunctivitis warrants an immediate call to your eye doctor. Promptly let us know if you experience any of the following symptoms along with your pink eye:

Intense eye pain
Inability to open the affected eye
Visual disturbances
Severe light sensitivity
Extreme redness

Even if you only have mild symptoms, contact your eye doctor if your condition doesn’t improve within two days. Bacterial conjunctivitis produces similar symptoms but requires antibiotic medications, which your eye doctor will prescribe. Only an eye exam can determine which type of conjunctivitis you have.

Treatment for viral conjunctivitis focuses primarily on symptom relief, and your local Plainview Eye Doctor will recommend the most effective treatment to help soothe your eyes and ensure the infection is controlled.

If you or a loved one has pink eye or any other eye problem, call Nostlgc Eyewear in Plainview, New York to schedule your comprehensive eye exam today.

Many eye diseases can be quickly and easily diagnosed during a Comprehensive eye exam, Pediatric eye exam and Contact lens eye exam. If you were diagnosed with an eye disease, such as Cataracts, Astigmatism, Pink Eye or conjunctivitis Myopia or Nearsightedness , Glaucoma, Macular degeneration, Diabetic retinopathy, or Dry eye, you may be overwhelmed by the diagnosis and confused about what happens next. Will you need medications or surgery – now or in the future? Is LASIK eye and vision surgery an option for you ? Our Plainview eye doctor is always ready to answer your questions about eye disease and Contact lenses.

Nostlgc Eyewear, your Plainview eye doctor for eye exams and eye care

Call 516-217-3833 today, or book an appointment online here CLICK FOR AN APPOINTMENT

Is allergic conjunctivitis the same as “pink eye”?

Allergic conjunctivitis is the clinical term of ocular inflammation of the lining or membrane of the eye, called the conjunctiva, caused by allergic reactions to substances. Although a patient may present with red or pink eyes from excess inflammation, the common term “pink eye”can signify a broad term of conditions and can be misleading, as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other irritating substances can cause redness resembling a “pink eye.” Your eye doctor can differentiate between an allergy reaction and a true infection, which can lead to faster healing with proper treatments.
What gets rid of pink eye fast?

If you’re having bacterial pink eye symptoms, the fastest way to treat them is to see your local Eye Doctor. Your doctor can prescribe antibiotic eye drops. Using antibiotic eyedrops can shorten the duration of pink eye.
How Long Does Pink Eye Last?

Most of the time, pink eye clears up within a few days to two weeks.
How long are you contagious with pink eye?

Pink eye is a common eye condition that causes painful, red, and itchy eyes. Bacteria, viruses, or allergies can cause pink eye. Viral and bacterial pink eye are both highly contagious. Both adults and children can get pink eye and should stay away from work, school, or daycare until their symptoms clear.

Visiting Your Optometrist During COVID-19

Is your eye doctor’s appointment coming up? Are you worried about going to the eye clinic during the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic? Rest assured, keeping our patients and staff are safe is our top priority.

We anticipate that this outbreak will continue for a while, and do not want our patients to neglect their eye care needs during this critical time. Our optometric clinic is prudent and has adopted specific measures to protect our patients and staff from potential exposure to COVID-19 during this time of uncertainty.

That said, guidelines for slowing the spread of this epidemic are rapidly changing. Please pay close to attention to local regulatory changes to get the most up-to-date information on whether practices can still remain open/ accept non-emergency cases.

Here Are the Precautions Our Eye Clinic Is Taking to Limit COVID-19:

We employ a strict office policy that mandates that all eye doctors, opticians, office staff, and patients not enter if they are feeling unwell or have a fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, shortness of breath, or have been exposed to a known case of COVID-19 or traveled outside of the country within the last 14 days.

The staff may ask you to wait outside rather than in the waiting area in order to protect yourself and others from any circulating germs. Furthermore, we are trying to schedule our appointments in such a way that our waiting room remains as empty as possible.

During your eye exam:

The eye doctor may use a special plastic barrier called a slit-lamp breath shield to block the exchange of breath between patient and doctor.
The optometrist may wear a mask with a plastic shield over the eyes.
The practitioner will wait for your slit-lamp eye exam to be over before speaking with you or answering any questions you may have.
We sanitize all equipment and patient contact surfaces after every use and at the end of the day.
We sanitize all surfaces and equipment (front desk counters, telephones, pens, door handles, waiting room chairs) with antibacterial wipes.
All staff members wash their hands after contact with each patient and throughout the day.
Our office is equipped with several sanitizing stations.
We request that patients sanitize their hands prior to and after trying on frames. We also make sure to clean frames that have come into contact with patients with soap and hot water.
If we don’t shake hands with our patients during this time, please don’t take it personally.

Please call Nostlgc Eyewear at 516-217-3833 with any questions or concerns you may have. If you feel it’s best for you or a member of your family to reschedule your appointment, we encourage you to do so.

To stay abreast of the coronavirus pandemic, please visit the following official health organizations:

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) at www.CDC.gov
World Health Organization (WHO) at www.WHO.int

Thank you and stay safe!

Emergency Eye Care for Pink Eye

Emergency Eye Care Services – Pink Eye Treatment at Nostlgc Eyewear

Pink eye, or conjunctivitis, is an eye condition where the conjunctiva – the thin, clear layer lining the white (sclera) of the eye – swells up, causing the eye to appear red. The reddish or pink hue is due to the appearance of inflamed blood vessels in the sclera.

There exist several causes of pink eye, all of which will be discussed below. The term “pink eye” most commonly refers to the viral infection, though it can also be bacterial or allergic in origin.

If you suspect you may have pink eye, call Dr. Yaris right away for prompt treatment. While pink eye is a mild eye emergency, delayed treatment can lead to vision or ocular damage.

The 4 Types of Pink Eye

Viral conjunctivitis is caused by a virus and is the most contagious form of the condition. One can easily spread the virus by sneezing or coughing. Symptoms of viral conjunctivitis include watery, itchy, and red eyes along with sensitivity to light (in one or both eyes). This type of pink eye will usually run its course and clear up on its own within a few days without medical treatment. To relieve unpleasant symptoms, apply a cold, wet compress to the affected eye several times a day.
Bacterial conjunctivitis is caused by bacteria and can affect either one or both eyes. Symptoms of a bacterial infection include burning, grittiness and a yellow, sticky discharge in the corner of the eye. Bacterial pink eye is contagious and can spread through direct contact with contaminated hands or items that have been in contact with the affected eye. Treatment for bacterial eye infection is vital because, if left untreated, it can result in severe vision damage. Treatment includes antibiotic eye drops and ointments, which improve conjunctivitis in a matter of 3-5 days.
Allergic conjunctivitis is caused by eye allergens or irritants, such as pollen, pet dander, or dust. Symptoms include itchy, watery, or burning eyes, occasionally accompanied by nasal congestion or a runny nose. Since allergic conjunctivitis affects individuals who are sensitive to specific allergens, it is not contagious and always affects both eyes. Allergy medication can help prevent or shorten allergic pink eye flare-ups.
Chemical conjunctivitis, a non-contagious form of pink eye, is caused by chemicals that lead the eye(s) to become irritated and swollen. Certain chemical irritants include smoke, chlorine (in a pool), air pollution, fumes, and other non-toxic chemicals. Symptoms include pain, temporarily decreased vision, redness, and swelling. To treat chemical conjunctivitis, you need to thoroughly flush the eye with clean water or a sterile eye irrigating solution to remove any irritating substances from the eye. Once the chemical is removed, you can use lubricating eye drops to soothe the eye and decrease redness.

Contact lens wearers should remove their contacts if redness occurs and refrain from re-inserting them until the eyes fully heal. A visit to the eye doctor will help determine whether your contact lenses are the cause of your conjunctivitis and will advise on how to avoid a recurrence in the future.

Contact Dr. Yaris to determine the root cause and to get the best treatment for your pink eye. This condition tends to be simple to treat and easy to prevent.

Tips for Preventing Pink Eye

Anyone can get conjunctivitis, but these simple precautions can help you dramatically lower your risk.

Frequently wash your hands with warm water and soap for a minimum of 20 seconds
Never share items such as makeup, hand towels, washcloths, or eyeglasses
Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes
Wear goggles when swimming to shield the eyes from microbes and irritants
Replace contact lenses as directed
Regularly sanitize household surfaces and handheld devices

We Treat Pink Eye and Other Eye Emergencies

We know that pink eye can cause uncomfortable symptoms, and we’re here to help. Contact Dr. Yaris for a complete evaluation of your eye condition and to discuss treatment options. The friendly and experienced staff at Nostlgc Eyewear offers more attention and specialized care than one would receive at an urgent care facility, so be sure to choose Nostlgc Eyewear in Plainview for any eye emergency you or your loved one may have.

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