How to Treat your Pink Eye Fast

Conjunctivitis, commonly known as a pink eye, is an infection or inflammation of the membrane known as the conjunctiva. It is a transparent membrane and covers your part of the eye. When the vessels in this membrane get inflammation, it becomes visible. Consequently, your eye becomes pink or red.

Pink eyes will usually discharge a lot of yellowish gunk that might stick around your eyes, making you struggle to open your eyes in the morning. Pink eye usually heals itself within a week or two, but there are methods through which you can treat your pink eye fast and ease its pain.

According to the Cleveland clinic uae best hospital, there are different types of pick eyes.

Types of Pink Eye

Pink eyes cause redness, itchiness, and watery eyes, but the underlying reasons are not the same; not all pink eyes are the same. There are three variants of pink eye: 

• Allergic
• Bacterial
•  Viral. 

Before treating your pink eye fast, you need to determine which kind of pink eye you are suffering from.

Allergic Pink Eye

Allergic pink eye is caused if a person is allergic to something, for instance, pollen. It comes with all the allergy symptoms, i.e., stuffy noses, etc. and affect both of your eyes. It could be treated at home but if your symptoms worsen, go to a specialist. Allergic pink eyes are not contagious; you can do your daily errands without a pause.

When an allergen gets into the eye, as a defense body produces IgE (immunoglobulin), this antibody releases mast cells in the mucous lining to produce an inflammatory substance with histamine; this causes visible symptoms of pink eye and allergy. Allergic pink eye symptoms start to fade away as soon as the allergen removes from the body.

Bacterial Pink Eye

Bacterial pink eyes are caused by bacteria, as the name suggests. A sticky discharge is caused by a bacterial pink eye around the eyes, mainly at the corner of an eye. In some cases, that sticky discharge makes your eyes stick together.

Bacterial pink eyes can affect either one or both of your eyes. It occurs with a strep or an ear infection, which causes more irritation. Most importantly, this type of pink eye is very contagious. You should avoid going out while suffering from a bacterial pink eye.

Viral Pink Eye

The virus triggers this type of pink eye. Remember, viruses and bacteria are different creatures of nature. Bacterial and viral pink eyes are not the same and cannot be treated with the same drugs. Medications that work for bacterial infection most likely not do not work for viral infections.

Viral pink eye is often referred to as a cold in the eye. With this pink eye type, you probably get a cold or infection in the upper respiratory system. 

Viral pink eye can affect either one or both of your eyes and is very contagious among the other pink eye types.

You may get sensitive to light and face a watery discharge if you are suffering from a viral pink eye. It usually takes its complete time to heal. If you want to treat your viral pink eye fast, then prevent your symptoms from worsening.

Treat Your Pink Eye Fast

For an allergic pink eye, you can take your allergy medicines to get control over the symptoms. This type heals more quickly, sometimes just in hours or a few days. As mentioned above, that allergic pink eye is a result of histamine; then, you can try to take an antihistamine or stabilizer of the mast cell, i.e., take down the main culprit. It will soothe your eye.

If your nose is congested owing to allergy, try using a decongestant. A decongestant also helps your defense system to control inflammation. If your signs do not subside, then you might be suffering from viral or bacterial pink eyes.  

Viral or bacterial pink eyes, firstly, you need to keep your eyes clean. It would be best if you cleaned up all the bacteria or viruses around your eyes. You should not let them fester on the skin around the eyes. Wash your hands, take a clean and damp tissue or washcloth. Gently clean the discharge away and out of your eyes. Discard the tissue immediately after use. If you are using a washcloth, do not use the same cloth before washing it first.

If the pink eye is causing pain, you can use a warm or cold compress method. Take warm or cold water. Dip a cloth in water. Wring it to remove all the water. Then put it on your eyes and press gently. If you can, use two different clothes if the infection has spread to both eyes. Do not use the same cloth for the second compress. Be very careful while using this soothing technique because it can spread the virus or bacteria.

Cleaning your eyes regularly will treat your pink eye fast. For a bacterial pink eye, you can take antibiotics. An individual can also use eye drops. This eye drops act as a lubricant, or artificial tears will clean and reduce your eyes' dryness and alleviate your pain.

Conclusion

Pink eye may not be a very severe disease in most cases, but if you do not take care of your eyes, especially in viral and bacterial pink eye cases, your situation will only worsen. Avoid touching your eyes and reusing the same products for eyes; it would quickly heal your pink eye. Avoid going out because you may spread it unconsciously.

Pink eyes usually last for a week or two. But if your symptoms do not pacify in the first week, then it’s time for you to see a doctor. After your pink eye gets treated, do not use old eye products, be it makeup brushes or contact lenses, it may contain existing virus or bacteria. It is better for you to throw them away.