Pink Eye at First Sight? 6 Common Misconceptions About Conjunctivitis Debunked

During her gap months before university, Siti worked part-time at a kid’s daycare. At kids’ centres, precautions are always practised to keep infectious diseases at bay. We are familiar with fever (to check for hand, foot and mouth outbreaks) & lice checks in pre-school early education and care centres, but many don’t know about pink eye. What do you know about pink eye?

Pink eye, properly known as conjunctivitis, is a common eye disease due to inflammation or swelling of the conjunctiva. Conjunctiva is a transparent membrane which lines your eyelid and covers the white part of your eyeball. When small blood vessels in the conjunctiva become inflamed, they become more visible. Consequently, the whites of your eyes appear to be reddish or pink.

Most people may have experienced or know of people who had conjunctivitis, but there are still many misconceptions about the conditions. Here are some myths and facts about conjunctivitis:

1. All types of conjunctivitis are contagious.

Not true, only one type is contagious. There are three main types of conjunctivitis, namely infectious, allergic and chemical conjunctivitis. However, only infectious conjunctivitis is contagious.

• Infectious conjunctivitis can be of bacterial or viral source. Bacterial conjunctivitis is due to some common bacterial strands from your own skin or respiratory system. Poor hygiene, physical contact or using contaminated facial or eye product can cause this infection. Viral conjunctivitis is most commonly caused by viruses associated with common cold. Forceful nose blowing may cause the virus to enter your eyes through the nasal passageway.
• Allergic conjunctivitis occurs in people who have seasonal allergies. In response to allergens such as pollen, your body releases inflammatory substance which can produce allergy signs and symptoms including pink eyes.
• Chemical conjunctivitis arises from irritation from foreign object or chemical splash. Some common irritants include smog or chlorine in swimming pool water.

2. Conjunctivitis only affects children.

Conjunctivitis is a common eye disease found among children. The truth is, everyone is susceptible to this condition. Nevertheless, children have a higher risk of contracting the disease as they take less precaution. For example, younger kids are more likely to rub their eyes and not wash their hands properly.

3. Infection can happen through eye-to-eye contact.

Truth be told, no disease can be transmitted via eye contact. One of the most bizarre misconceptions about pink eyes is that an infected individual can pass the disease with a single glance. Moreover, conjunctivitis is not an airborne disease. Hence, there is no increased risk of contracting conjunctivitis among a large group of people.

4. You will not get pink eye if you do not rub your eyes.

Touching your eyes with unclean hands is one of many ways you can get conjunctivitis. However, the eye can become infected when it comes into contact with contaminated objects. For instance, uncleaned contact lenses, makeup, the tip of eye-drop dispenser which was used on an infected eye can lead to conjunctivitis.

5. There is no treatment for conjunctivitis.

There are several treatments which can help relieve some symptoms. Pink eye can be uncomfortable and embarrassing, but the condition is not harmful on its own. It is a self-limiting disease which usually goes away within one or two weeks. Eye drops can ease dryness while warm or cool compresses can soothe eyes and reduce inflammation. For allergic conjunctivitis, allergy medication can improve the symptoms. For more serious forms of conjunctivitis, treatments may include prescription of antiviral medications or antibiotics depending on the infection.

6. You never need to go to a doctor for conjunctivitis.

Nevertheless, consult a medical professional (Malaysia)  (Singapore) if your symptoms have not cleared up after 2 weeks. Symptoms could include pain in your eyes, changes in your vision, intense eye redness or sensitivity to light. These can be signs of a more serious eye problem which require medical attention.

Tags

• conjunctivitis
• eye health
• pink eye