Ophthalmology

Treatment of conjunctivitis

Synonyms

Conjunctivitis, conjunctivitis

English: conjunctivitis, pinkeye

therapy

When treating conjunctivitis, a distinction must again be made between the various forms of conjunctivitis.

Nonspecific conjunctivitis is usually treated with tear substitutes. Eye drops containing cortisone should definitely not be used during the treatment, because they actually increase the dryness of the eyes. There is also a risk that intraocular pressure will rise. For hay fever conjunctivitis, antiallergic eye drops are used as a treatment.

If conjunctivitis is associated with atopic diseases, such as neurodermatitis, antibiotics and steroids (cortisone) are administered locally.

Of course, in the case of cosmetic intolerance, the motto is no longer to use the triggering allergen - in this case the cosmetic item.

If one through Viruses conjunctivitis is triggered, must be treated with appropriate antiviral agents. Like adults, newborns are treated with erythromycin eye drops for chlamydia and acyclovir for herpes. are bacteria the triggers of conjunctivitis, antibiotics are used in the treatment.

Dexa-gentamicin eye drops or ointments are often prescribed for conjunctivitis of the eye, which usually lead to an improvement in the symptoms after just a few days. Read more about it: Dexa gentamicin eye drops or Dexa-gentamicin eye ointment

What do I have to consider during therapy?

A Conjunctivitis can do many various causes to have. It is important to find out before initiating therapy so that treatment can be adapted accordingly.
In general, care should be taken to avoid the irritated eye in the case of conjunctivitis additional stimuli such as exposure to drafts or dust. This could make the inflammation worse.
Eye rubbing should also be avoided. On the one hand, so as not to put additional strain on the eye, and on the other hand, to prevent possible transmission of the pathogen to other people. Maintaining strict hygiene is very important in the course of therapy. Regular hand washing should also be considered.

Is it conjunctivitis that's on mechanical stimuli The first measure of therapy is the trigger to remove or to avoid.
It can be Exposure to sunlight, contact lenses or the Exposure to dust act. The conjunctivitis usually heals by itself after a few days and does not require any further therapy.
Also very dry eyes can lead to conjunctivitis. In this case you can Tear substitutes used for treatment. However, eye drops containing cortisone should be avoided, as this intensifies the dryness.

At a allergic conjunctivitis it must first be found out which allergen is causing the symptoms. Often these are pollen or animal hair. The allergen should be avoided as permanently as possible. With a pollen allergy is one desensitization a possible therapy option. There are also eye drops and other medicines that can be used during the hay fever season to relieve the symptoms.

Is conjunctivitis a bacterial cause base so be medicines containing antibiotics used. As a rule, local treatment with eye drops or eye ointment is sufficient.

are Viruses the cause of conjunctivitis, in most cases there is no special therapy. The symptoms go away on their own after a few days. Are however Herpes viruses The trigger of the inflammation may be due to the administration of Acyclovir relief can be achieved.

What do I have to consider during treatment?

A Conjunctivitis can do many various causes to have. It is important to find out before initiating therapy so that treatment can be adapted accordingly.
In general, care should be taken to avoid the irritated eye in the case of conjunctivitis additional stimuli such as exposure to drafts or dust. This could make the inflammation worse.
Eye rubbing should also be avoided. On the one hand, so as not to put additional strain on the eyes, and on the other hand, to prevent possible transmission of the pathogens to other people. Maintaining strict hygiene is very important in the course of therapy. Regular hand washing should also be considered.

Is conjunctivitis a bacterial cause base so be medicines containing antibiotics used. As a rule, local treatment with eye drops or eye ointment is sufficient.

Medication for conjunctivitis

The use of artificial tears can often relieve the symptoms of itchy and dry eyes. In addition, depending on the cause, different drugs can be used to treat conjunctivitis.

In the case of allergy-related conjunctivitis, anti-allergic eye drops and medication, so-called antihistamines, which can alleviate the symptoms, can be used to bridge the hay fever season. Eye drops containing cortisone can also be used for a short time to alleviate acute symptoms such as very itchy and watery eyes. However, due to the comparatively high side effects, these should be used with caution.

Read more too Conjunctivitis eye drops

The bacterial conjunctivitis must be treated with eye drops or ointments containing antibiotics to kill the bacteria. These must be used by the patient long enough to be effective. Even after the symptoms have subsided, the therapy should be continued for a few days so that the inflammation does not recur. It seldom happens that the bacteria have to be precisely determined in the event of severe disease in order to choose a suitable antibiotic.
If a bacterial infection has spread to the eye and causes conjunctivitis, an additional antibiotic in tablet form is necessary. One example of this is the chlamydia, the cause of a sexually transmitted disease. The sexual partner should receive additional treatment.

Read more on the topic: Dexa-gentamicin eye ointment or Floxal eye drops or. Floxal eye ointment

Drug therapy for viruses is usually not possible. The herpes viruses are an exception. If these have infected the conjunctiva, the antiviral agent aciclovir helps.

Read more on the topic Bepanthen® eye drops

The use of artificial tears can often relieve the symptoms of itchy and dry eyes. In addition, you can different drugs depending on the cause used to treat conjunctivitis.

At a allergy-related conjunctivitis can bridge the hay fever season antiallergic eye drops and drugs are taken, so-called Antihistaminesthat can relieve the discomfort. Eye drops containing cortisone can also be used for a short time to alleviate acute symptoms such as very itchy and watery eyes. However, due to the comparatively high side effects, these should be used with caution.

The bacterial conjunctivitis must go with antibiotic eye drops or Eye ointments treated to kill the bacteria. These must be used by the patient long enough to be effective. Even after the symptoms have subsided, the therapy should be continued for a few days so that the inflammation does not recur. It seldom happens that the bacteria have to be precisely determined in the event of severe disease in order to choose a suitable antibiotic.
If there is a Bacterial infection spread to the eye and has caused conjunctivitis, an additional antibiotic in tablet form is necessary. An example of this are the Chlamydiawho cause an STD. The sexual partner should receive additional treatment.

Drug therapy for viruses is usually not possible. The Herpes viruses If these have affected the conjunctiva, the antiviral agent helps Acyclovir.

Treatment without antibiotics

Overall, that Antibiotics at the symptom of "reddened eyes“Tends to be used too often by children. This is the case when the inflammation not of bacterial origin is. Only if bacteria are the cause of the presence of the symptoms is the Use of antibiotics justified. In recent years there has been an increase in the occurrence of resistant bacterial strains Guideline changes in the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis. So, if possible, depending on the severity of the inflammation, start with a waited a few days whether the inflammation does not go away without the use of antibiotics. Only when the inflammation persists or gets worse should antibiotics be taken. The infection of the Newborn With Gonococci or Chlamydiawhich can trigger conjunctivitis and in any case antibiotic should be treated, otherwise the risk of Blindness threatens.

Home remedies for conjunctivitis

There are a number of different sources that provide various home remedies for use in one Conjunctivitis recommend. First of all, it is important that the conjunctivitis is diagnosed by a treating doctor. Since different diseases am eye cause very similar symptoms, it is important that serious, dangerous diseases can be ruled out first.

After the doctor has made the diagnosis, the individual therapy can be discussed with the doctor. Especially in cases where bacteria or Viruses cause the inflammation, caution should be exercised. Home remedies can even be used in these cases do more harm than a cure cause.

The application of common home remedies such as Quark or chamomile may be considered if only one mechanical irritation led to the inflammation and is expected to improve with home remedies.

Even when using Home remedies for conjunctivitis, is the Compliance with hygiene the most important. Hands should always be washed thoroughly before and after eye treatment.

There are different herbal eye dropsthat can relieve the symptoms of conjunctivitis. Eyebright (Euphrasia) especially helps with allergic and viral conjunctivitis, as it relieves itching and works against dryness of the eye.
Also black tea can be applied to the eye in the form of cooling compresses to alleviate the discomfort. The tea is boiled and after cooling, the tea bag is placed on the eye. It is important to use a new tea bag for each treatment.

It also has Quark proven to be a helpful home remedy for swelling and cooling. In the case of conjunctivitis, it can be placed on the eyes in the form of quark pads. To do this, about 100 grams of quark are placed on a cotton cloth previously rinsed with cool water. The cloth is folded up to form a bag that is placed on the closed eyes for about 30 minutes.

Also Camomile tea, Sage-, Marigolds- or Fennel tea are considered home remedies for conjunctivitis. Dip a compress in each of the cooled tea and apply it to the eyes for about 15 minutes. This can be repeated several times a day.

Another home remedy is this Onion milk. For this, chopped onions are boiled with milk until they are soft. Then pour it through a sieve and cool the milk to about body temperature with a teaspoon of honey. With this liquid, the eyes can be cleaned several times a day.

Therapy in children

Especially children often suffer from conjunctivitis. Often this occurs in the Frame of a cold or flu as viral conjunctivitis on.
As this very contagious it is important not to send the affected child to kindergarten or school. Usually two to three days are sufficient. However, if the eyes are very sticky, the child should stay at home a little longer.
By rubbing your hands in your eyes and then making physical contact while playing, the pathogens spread very quickly and other children can be infected.

It definitely should be one Pediatrician to find out the exact cause. If there is bacterial conjunctivitis, it is important that the child is given antibiotic eye drops or eye ointment. These should also be given two to three days after the symptoms have subsided in order to be able to fight the bacteria effectively. A possible allergic cause should be considered and desensitization may be started in childhood.

In children, too, can help alleviate the symptoms artificial tears used if you suffer from very itchy and dry eyes.

Conjunctivitis in children is relatively common, but can have many different causes. Since these can only be differentiated by a doctor, a visit to a pediatrician or ophthalmologist is recommended if there is a suspicion of conjunctivitis in a child or baby. The treatment of conjunctivitis in children and babies is principally based on the underlying cause of the inflammation. Any conjunctivitis should be searched for a bacterial cause, as this can be treated well with antibacterial drugs. In newborns with conjunctivitis, an infection with gonococci or chlamydia can also be responsible for the inflammation. In any case, this should be treated with antibiotics, as this prevents the threat of blindness.There are some antibiotics that can be used on children or even newborns, and most of them are very effective.

Dexa-gentamicin eye drops and ointments have an antibiotic effect and can also be used on children. Read more about this at: Dexa gentamicin eye drops or Dexa-gentamicin eye ointment

Conjunctivitis caused by a viral infection, on the other hand, should not be treated with antibiotics, as these cannot have any effect on viruses. Antiviral medication and good eye and hand hygiene can prevent the spread of such an infection.

In the event of mechanical irritation due to a foreign body, the treating ophthalmologist can remedy the situation by removing the foreign body. In the case of inflammation caused by an allergy, the allergen causing the inflammation should be identified and avoided if possible. In addition, so-called antihistamines, applied either systemically or locally, can quickly provide relief.

In any case, treatment should be discussed with a treating doctor. A self-treatment of the child or baby with home remedies or other medication cannot be recommended from a medical point of view.

Read more on the topic: Conjunctivitis in children

Therapy during pregnancy

With one through mechanical stimuli induced conjunctivitis should be the Just wait and see pregnant women. As a rule, the symptoms subside after a few days and do not require any additional therapy.

If an allergy is the cause, the allergens should be avoided as much as possible. If the symptoms are very severe, treatment with antiallergic eye drops possible, but should definitely be discussed with the doctor.

Viral conjunctivitis also often heals on its own. In the case of herpes viruses, acyclovir can be given as eye drops.

In the Use of antibiotics is caution required. Here eye drops and ointments are preferable to antibiotics in tablet form. Antibiotic eye drops with a certain active ingredient are used that are safe for the unborn child.

Duration of conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis usually heals quickly with adequate treatment and takes a short time.
However, there are forms of conjunctivitis that can recur (especially Herpes infections). Complications can also arise.