Conjunctivitis
চোখ ওঠা (কনজাংটিভাইটিস)
Common Symptoms
⚠️ This symptom list is for educational purposes. Having these symptoms does not mean you have this condition. See a doctor for proper diagnosis.
Medicines Commonly Used
⚠️ These medicines are commonly used for confirmed diagnoses of this condition. This is NOT a recommendation or prescription. Treatment must be determined by your doctor.
No medicines have been linked to this condition yet.
Symptoms of conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis usually shows up in both eyes, and the symptoms are:
- inflammation
- redness
- itching
- a burning or gritty feeling
- watering
- pus that sticks to the eyelashes
Causes of conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis happens when the conjunctiva becomes inflamed. The conjunctiva is a thin layer of cells that covers the front of your eyes.
The 3 most common causes of this inflammation are:
- infection (infective conjunctivitis)
- an allergic reaction (allergic conjunctivitis)
- something irritating the conjunctiva, like a loose eyelash (irritant conjunctivitis)
Things to do
- Boil water and let it cool down, then gently wipe your eyelashes with a clean cotton wool pad to clean off any crusts (use 1 piece for each eye)
- Hold a cold towel over your eyes for a few minutes
- Wash your hands regularly, and especially after touching your eyes
- Use lubricant eye drops, which you can buy at pharmacies or which may be prescribed for you
Things to avoid
- do not rub your eyes
- do not wear contact lenses until the symptoms have cleared up
- don't re-use old lenses after the infection has gone, because they could cause re-infection
- do not share pillows or towels
You don't need to take time off school or work if you have conjunctivitis, unless you're feeling very unwell.
Get advice from a pharmacist
If you think you have conjunctivitis, talk to a pharmacist. They can suggest eyedrops or antihistamines to help with your symptoms.
Call an eye specialist urgently if you have:
Phone an optometrist urgently if you have:
- pain in your eyes
- sensitivity to light
- changes in your vision, like wavy lines or flashing
- very red eyes (1 eye or both eyes)
- a baby less than 28 days old with red eyes
These can be signs of a more serious eye problem. If your optometrist is closed, phone a doctor or the 16263 health line.
Talk to an eye specialist if:
- Your baby has red eyes. If your baby is less than 28 days old, get an urgent appointment.
- You wear contact lenses and have conjunctivitis symptoms as well as spots on your eyelids. You might be allergic to the lenses.
- Your symptoms haven't cleared up after 2 weeks.
Treatments for conjunctivitis
How conjunctivitis is treated depends on what's causing it.
If the cause is a bacterial infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. But antibiotics won't work if a virus or an allergy is behind your symptoms.
Allergic conjunctivitis can usually be treated with antihistamines. If you can, try to stay away from whatever triggered the allergy.
Irritant conjunctivitis eases once the thing causing the symptoms is removed.
Some sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can also cause conjunctivitis, and this type takes longer to get better.