The common pink, or red eye generally is caused by a viral infection of the outermost layer of the eye, the conjunctiva. It can cause watering of the eyes and mild discomfort, but will generally clear up without incident. Pink eyes can also occur with other eye diseases that may require more active management to quickly resolve. We encourage all our patients to visit as soon as possible when they, or their child, have a pink eye. Using special dyes and our biomicroscope, we can inspect the surface of the eyes and lids to accurately determine the cause of the disease. There is no eye drop that will treat every case, and knowing the cause of the patient’s disease will direct treatment.
A bacterial conjunctivitis can be caused by a variety of bacteria. Staph, E. coli, and H. influenza are just a few of many potential bacteria that can infect the eyes. Patients with a bacterial conjunctivitis will often wake up in the morning with matted, sticky eyelids. For these patients, a topical antibacterial is typically prescribed to clear the infection.
Another common cause of pink eye is an allergic conjunctivitis. Allergies can affect the eye at any age and during any season. Often times, allergies can produce a similar appearance to an infection, though the treatment usually will involve a prescription topical antihistamine, and possibly the use of prescription topical anti-inflammatories (steroids) to calm the ocular tissue. The hallmark of allergic conjunctivitis is a teary eye with pronounced itching and redness. Systemic allergy medications usually won’t provide relief for ocular allergies, and medications designed to specifically target ocular tissue are of great benefit.
If you or your child has a red eye, please call us immediately for an appointment. Dr. Abert and Dr. Pedroza’s daily schedules are kept flexible in order to accommodate ocular emergencies. We can determine the cause of the redness and effectively treat the problem. Visiting us for a medical reason (such as for a pink/red eye) is considered a medical visit by insurances and will be billable to your health insurance, usually costing you only a small co-pay (and thus being far less expensive than a visit to the emergency room or to an urgent care center!).
