Treatment of viral conjunctivitis
In autumn and winter there is the highest peak of viral illnesses such as flu and influenza. During the last months of the year the incidence of viral conjunctivitis, a very common disease that causes inflammation of the conjunctiva, the transparent tissue that lines the eyeball.
Viral conjunctivitis is very common in children, and its outbreaks often wreak havoc in preschools, nurseries, and playgrounds. Despite causing very annoying symptoms, viral conjunctivitis is a mild infectious process that, in most cases, does not pose a serious risk to eye health.
Treatment of viral conjunctivitis
In autumn and winter there is the highest peak of viral illnesses such as flu and influenza. During the last months of the year the incidence of viral conjunctivitis, a very common disease that causes inflammation of the conjunctiva, the transparent tissue that lines the eyeball.
Viral conjunctivitis is very common in children, and its outbreaks often wreak havoc in preschools, nurseries, and playgrounds. Despite causing very annoying symptoms, viral conjunctivitis is a mild infectious process that, in most cases, does not pose a serious risk to eye health.
How to treat viral conjunctivitis?
Conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin, transparent membrane that covers the white part of the eye and the inner area of the eyelids. Depending on its cause, it can be bacterial, viral or allergic.
Viral conjunctivitis is a very common reason for visiting the ophthalmologist. This condition can be caused by different virusesHowever, in most cases it is caused by some type of adenovirus and enterovirus. Sar virusesampIon or chickenpox are also likely to cause viral conjunctivitis.
La viral conjunctivitis it is highly contagious and, the simple fact of being in contact with an infected person represents a high risk. The contagion usually enters through the drops that come from the cough or sneeze of a person with conjunctivitis.
Treatment of viral conjunctivitis aims to soothe the patient's symptoms to improve your quality of life. The disease itself is not aggressive and does not usually cause complications. In fact, it usually heals on its own with the passing of days.
To treat the discomfort of viral conjunctivitis, the ophthalmologist can, but not always limit itself to, prescribe anti-inflammatory eye drops to help relieve discomfort. In cases where the virus has caused flu or cold symptoms, the consumption of analgesics Over-the-counter may also be indicated.
During viral conjunctivitis it is important to keep your eyes clean to prevent the infection from getting worse. The most advisable thing is wash your eyes five times a day using only physiological saline. Before each cleaning it is important to wash your hands with antibacterial soap.
We also recommend cleaning the eyelids and eyelashes and avoiding the accumulation of secretions and crusts in the eyes. If you have viral conjunctivitis you can make use of special wet wipes for eyelid cleaning.
If the conjunctivitis does not improve after 10 days, it is important go to the ophthalmologist again. Some viruses can be recurrent and cause persistent symptoms. In these cases it is necessary to review the ocular structure again and prescribe a different treatment than the initial one.
How long does viral conjunctivitis last?
The incubation period for viral conjunctivitis lasts for between 5 and 12 days. After this period of time, the following usually appear: symptom:
- Red eyes.
- Excessive tearing.
- Yellowish or whitish eye secretions.
- Itchy eyes.
- Eye pain
- Sensation of having a foreign body inside the eye.
- Light sensitivity or photophobia.
- Vision may be cloudy.
La Viral conjunctivitis usually has a duration between 7 and 15 days. During this period it is important to stay home and avoid contact with other people to avoid spreading the virus.
How to prevent it?
Viral conjunctivitis it spreads easily. It is enough to touch a surface with remnants of mucosa for, if we touch our eyes with our hands, contagion occurs. For this reason it is important to know what the preventive measures and put them into practice.
Let's get to know how to prevent viral conjunctivitis:
- Do not lend your glasses or contact lenses to another person. TampNever use third party glasses, contact lenses and eye drops.
- Clean and disinfect your lenses properly and its case. To do this, use special products for contact lenses and, preferably, distilled water.
- Don't share your towels, Sheets and pillows. Among the most common routes of contagion, garments that come into contact with the eyes stand out.
- wash your hands frequently using antibacterial soap. For effective hand washing, it must last for more than 30 seconds.
- Don't touch your eyes with dirty hands.
- Avoid sharing, as far as possible, spaces with a person who has conjunctivitis.
- If you have conjunctivitis it is important that do not wear contact lenses. It is preferable that you wear the glasses while you have the disease and when the use of the contact lenses is resumed, replace them with a new pair.
During the summer you can also get viral conjunctivitis, since very crowded places such as beaches and swimming pools are visited. To avoid contagion during this season, keep the following tips in mind:
- Wear goggles for swimming or diving and do not lend them to other people.
- Rinse off with a freshwater shower when leaving the beach or pool.
- Use clean towels and don't share them with anyone else.
- Avoid placing the towels in the sand or on the ground.
- Protect your eyes from any particles by wearing sunglasses.
- Never wear contact lenses in the pool or on the beach. Doing so increases the likelihood of bacteria growing inside your eyes.
Viral conjunctivitis is generally a disease that is usually temporary and heals on its own. If you have had conjunctivitis for more than ten days and you do not notice improvement, it is important that you go to an ophthalmologist immediately.
