The Eye Practice

Conjunctivitis as you are aware comes in many forms – especially the three most common forms:

• Bacterial, which can be cleared up with antibiotic eyedrops ,
• Viral, which cannot be treated with drops but will go away on its own, or in-office iodine treatments, and
• Allergic, which is caused by whatever you're allergic to, obviously.  Allergic varieties apart from avoiding the allergen can be treated with antihistamine drops and mild steroid drops.

But there are other types of conjunctivitis with which you might not be familiar – and their causes are different, as well.

 

Gonococcal and Chlamydial Conjunctivitis

These are bacterial forms of conjunctivitis that are treatable, as long as the patient comes in to the office for treatment! Included in this category is Trachoma – which causes scarring on the surface of the eye. If left untreated, you will go blind – and what's sad is, this type of blindness is completely preventable.

Some people will not go in for treatment due to embarrassment or shame, while others are just ignorant of what conjunctivitis is and what can happen in these cases if left untreated. These things happen – get it treated before it's too late.

Neonatal Conjunctivitis

Typically, newborns develop neonatal conjunctivitis when baby passes through the birth canal of a mother infected with chlamydia or herpes simplex type 2. If the condition is left untreated, baby can go blind. The best way to prevent neonatal conjunctivitis is to get treated for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) prior to the birth of your baby.

Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis

Known as GPC, this type of conjunctivitis typically affects contact lens wearers (specifically, soft lens wearers). You won't be able to wear contacts for a while, and you may even have to switch the types of lenses you're wearing. Remember, prevention is best for this type of conjunctivitis, so make sure that any time you switch out your lenses, you've washed your hands, and you're making sure that your lenses are properly cleaned. That includes the case they come in, too!

More advanced forms require prescription anti-inflammatories. Untreated GPC is one of the more common reasons that contact lenses fail in the long term.  Regular contact lens eye tests with the optometrist looking under your eyelids is by far the best way of avoiding contact lens failure.

Of course, GPC can be traced to other root causes, such as prosthetic eyes, stitches, or similar things that come into contact with the eye.

Non-Infectious Conjunctivitis

This is one type of conjunctivitis we've touched on before – from long airplane rides, diesel exhaust, perfumes, chemicals, reactions to certain preservatives in drops – all cause the eye to become irritated and develop signs of conjunctivitis. If you notice any of these symptoms developing after contact with chemicals or irritants of any sort, it's a good idea to get in touch with us at The Eye Practice for treatment and prevention practices.

Conjunctivitis can be serious, and lead to permanent damage if left untreated. Some people just try to “guess” what's causing their conjunctivitis, and use home remedies that may mask their symptoms, but not treat the root cause. This is a bad idea, and can lead to blindness and permanent scarring in some cases. Don't try to diagnose and treat yourself – get a professional to help you! 

A therapeutically qualified optometrist can prescribe appropriate medication.  Make sure the optometrist you are seeing is therapeutically qualified, as they have had extra training in treating all forms of conjunctivitis.  Dr Jim Kokkinakis is therapeutically qualified.  Make an appointment to see him on 9290 1899 if you think you have conjunctivitis.

Conjunctivitis (or Pink Eye), which we have covered in past posts is often viral conjunctivitis. It is a condition that will go away on its own in about 10 to 14 days, when your immune system recognizes it as a virus and sends out the appropriate antibodies to kill it.

Of course, it's an uncomfortable period of time for your eyes and is highly contagious. We have a novel treatment approach to viral conjunctivitis that must be done in office (don't ever try to treat viral conjunctivitis at home the way we do it) with iodine and anesthetic. Many patients find relief at home through palliative care–cold compresses, and lubricant eye drops that are preservative-free help soothe the irritated eye while the viral infection runs its course.

But if you suspect you have conjunctivitis of any sort, you should not assume that it is viral. Half of the cases we see in our office are viral and will go away on their own...but the other half are not, and have more complicated causes that must be assessed by a qualified therapeutic professional. The other half of these cases, left untreated, can lead to complications.

There is one serious complication that should motivate you to get a proper diagnosis – the possibility of going blind. Conjunctivitis can cause corneal inflammation – this can affect vision. Don't risk losing vision or winding up on a waiting list for corneal transplants – no kidding. Protecting your vision shouldn't be guesswork.

 

Another annoying complication of conjunctivitis is the possibility of reinfection if preventive measures are not followed. In other words, you can get it again, spread it to your other, previously uninfected eye, and spread it to others if you don't follow good preventive procedures.

Preventive procedures to keep conjunctivitis away include good hygienic practices – change your pillowcases frequently, keep your hands away from your eyes, and good hand washing practices will help minimize risk of reinfection. Other proper hygiene practices that will reduce the risk of conjunctivitis spreading include proper handling and cleaning of contact lenses, avoid sharing eye cosmetics, novelty contact lenses, and towels or handkerchiefs. Additionally, regular replacement of eye cosmetics is helpful in reducing bacterial growth and inadvertent reinfection of the eye.

Complications caused by poor hygienic measures are some of the most common complications seen in our office, and can be avoided entirely with preventive measures.

If you have been diagnosed with conjunctivitis, avoid complications right away by doing the following:

• make a habit of hand washing

• replace all eye cosmetics, don't share with others

• discuss getting new contact lenses or how to properly clean the old ones (which may or may not be a possibility)

• avoid sharing towels and handkerchiefs, use disposable tissues and put used towels the wash right away

• stop using anything near the eye until the symptoms are cleared up, then buy new items to replace them, such as new mascara or eye drops

If you think you might have conjunctivitis, don't wait for it to go away on its own.

Call us on 9290 1899 for an appointment or CLICK HERE to Book an appointment online.

 

Conjunctivitis in children is often of the contagious variety.

Children are typically social creatures, learning how to properly interact with one another through their daily actions. They are often in close contact through daycare, preschool, and in the classroom. Of course, they don't always know any better about what spreads conjunctivitis or pink eye, and they have to be taught properly.

There are many ways to teach children about the spread of pink eye and how to prevent it from getting worse. Here are some ideas that can help you and your kids from getting this condition, and how to avoid spreading it around.

 

What to Teach your Kids

The first thing to teach your kids is the concept of “hands off!” Teach them not to rub their eyes or touch their eyes without washing their hands first. Teach them how to properly use tissues and handkerchiefs, and not to share towels or personal hygiene items.

Other things to teach kids include:

·       Proper hand washing techniques. This can be made fun when they're young by using a song while they lather their hands. Make hand washing a fun, feel-good practice, and they'll actually start to do the activity on their own.

·       Teach and remind older children not to share eye drops, contact lenses, or cosmetics with each other. Sharing these items is a high-risk activity in spreading conjunctivitis. Discourage it as much as possible.

·       Teach and remind children to use tissues for coughs and sneezes, and to cover their noses and mouths appropriately.

What You can Do

There are several things you can do as a caregiver, whether you are a parent or guardian, or a teacher or daycare specialist.

·       Encourage the good habits listed above. Always have disposable tissues on hand for wiping eyes. It's a good idea to carry around hand sanitizer, too, as hand to eye contact is one of the easiest ways for conjunctivitis to set in to the eyes.

·       Don't share personal items. Demonstrating good behavior is the best way to impart it onto children.

·       Frequent hand washing is necessary during a pink eye outbreak. Encourage children to do the same by modeling that behavior in yourself.

·       Toys, counters, sinks, faucets, and other surfaces should be kept clean, especially so during an outbreak of conjunctivitis. Take extra steps to notify your child's teacher or daycare specialist if they have been diagnosed with pink eye so that they can sanitize their areas properly.

·       Children are not allowed to return to school or daycare until their pink eye is no longer contagious. Make sure you work with your optometrist and school to make sure your child goes back to school at the right time.

Spread the word, not the condition. Call on 9290 1899 for an appointment for you or your child.

Conjunctivitis comes in many types.

We've mentioned before that we were going to have a closer examination of other types of conjunctivitis. This one is important for contact lens wearers, and those who have stitches (sutures) in their eye, or artificial eyes (prosthetics) and implants.

It's called Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis (GPC).  Primarily, the major population affected by GPC is contact lens wearers. Additionally, although it can happen to any contact lens wearer, the greatest affected group is?

Those who wear soft lenses, especially the silicon hydrogel variety.  Hard contact lens wearers rarely exhibit GPC.  In fact one of the treatments for GPC is to swap from soft contact lenses to the hard variety.

Essentially, GPC is a type of inflammation of the under-surface of the eyelid, which comes from constant blinking against the contact lens or foreign object. That surface, normally as smooth as silk, becomes irritated and rough, and forms papillae (bumps) all along the surface. The more you blink, the more it rubs, and the more it rubs, the more the whole eye gets irritated, causing the conjunctiva to get inflamed, hence – conjunctivitis.

Possible Causes

There are several possible causes of GPC –

·       constant rubbing of lenses against the eyelids (as described above)

·       allergic reaction to contact lens solution, drops, and cleansers

·       deposit build up on the lenses from extended wear, or improper cleaning techniques, or from wearing the lenses longer than they should be worn (like wearing 30 day disposable lenses for 60 days or 14 day contact lenses for 30 days.)

These causes will create an atmosphere of aggravation for the eyelid, causing papillae to form.

Symptoms

GPC is not contagious – but it looks and feels awful. Symptoms of GPC are similar to other conjunctivitis symptoms –

·       an itchy, gritty feeling in the affected eye

·       burning sensation in the affected eye

·       increased mucous output

·       redness

·       blurred vision from mucous sticking to the lens

– but with an exception...the bumps underneath the eyelid.

   

Treatments

The Eye Practice has a variety of treatments available, and we have a great deal of experience with different types of contact lenses, so that you might not have to give up wearing contact lenses at all. In fact, our specialty is contact lenses, so when you come in for treatment for GPC, we encourage you to follow our advice to the letter – we may be able to help you stay in your lenses or find ones that won't aggravate your GPC.

GPC can be very stubborn to settle down, so there are a variety of treatment approaches we use in order to get your vision and comfort back to optimal operation. Treatment options begin with stopping wearing your current lenses so that the inflammation can subside.It does not stop there though.  Judicious use of prescribed anti-inflammatory eye drops will really make the difference in bring the GPC to its knees.

Once the irritation heals, we can work with you to find the right lens system that will keep GPC at bay, and help you to build back up to enjoying the many advantages of contact lenses.

Call for an appointment on 9290 1899 for help. 

Conjunctivitis - Do Home Remedies Help?

Before we get too involved with home remedies for pink eye, also known as red eye or conjunctivitis, we need to warn you ahead of time that these are never to be used as an exclusive treatment.

If you suspect you have pink eye, come in and see us at The Eye Practice for a confirmation diagnosis. As we have said in other articles, conjunctivitis can be a symptom of an underlying disease (that can be quite serious in some cases), or is stand alone but needs to be treated in our office (such as with an antibiotic or iodine treatment).

Once you've been properly diagnosed, you may get sent home with medications, or not, depending on your diagnosis and treatment course. If you have medications, take all of them exactly as prescribed, and for as long as prescribed. Don't stop treatment just because you feel better. Symptom relief is great, true, but the symptoms can return if you don't follow the entire course of treatment. Set reminders for yourself if you're forgetful.

Now that you're at home, being good and taking your medicine, or being good and riding it out, you may find that you're still having discomfort from conjunctivitis. There are a few things that you can do to alleviate the irritation.

  

If you wear contact lenses, remove them. You will only irritate your eyes further and increase your discomfort by continuing to wear them. Switch to glasses as needed, and throw away disposable lenses that have been in your eyes during or prior to the infection. If your lenses are not disposables, you will want to clean the lenses thoroughly (we can instruct you on how to do that during your visit), or purchase a new pair of lenses. You will need to also clean your lens case, and replace your cleaning solution to avoid reinfection in some cases.

Cool and warm compresses help. For bacterial and viral conjunctivitis, many patients use warm compresses to soothe their affected eye. If that doesn't feel good, you have allergic conjunctivitis, or if it increases swelling, you will want to use a cool compress. Use a lint free cloth over the affected eye that has been soaked in warm or cool water and wring it out completely. Use separate cloths for each eye to prevent cross-contamination, or just one over the affected eye, not letting it touch the unaffected eye.

Eye drops can help. If you are still uncomfortable, talk to us about obtaining eye drops for the pain, or getting a recommendation on over-the-counter drops that can help relieve the pain of pink eye. For allergic conjunctivitis, antihistamine drops can provide some relief, but check with us first, to make sure that you aren't putting something in your eyes that will make it worse or interfere with your other medications.Often prescription eye drops are the only way to go.  Dr Jim Kokkinakis is a therapeutically qualified optometrist, who can prescribe medication to get the conjunctivitis under control.

Remember, don't mess around with conjunctivitis. Get an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment as soon as symptoms present themselves.

If your eyes are red and irritated call on 9290 1899 now.  Online appointments can also be made.

Conjunctivitis, which is also known as Pink Eye, we have discussed in past posts.  It means that the eye or eyes are red and inflamed but does not tell us anything about what caused the conjunctivitis.

One of the most common causes of conjunctivitis or pink eye is a viral eye infection. There are many strains of viruses that can cause a Viral Conjunctivitis.  We need to be clear that antibiotics are a waste of time in treating Viral Conjunctivitis, as antibiotics are only effective against bacteria.

What are the signs and symptoms of Viral Conjunctivitis?

Pink Eye

Watery discharge

Gritty, Itchy feeling

Sensitive to light

Swelling of a gland adjacent to ear (preauricular node)

White spots on cornea (infiltrates) in more significant presentations

               

Pressing around the gland adjacent to the ear (preauricular node, photo on left) will give the eye practitioner a good idea whether you have a viral conjunctivitis, as it is often raised and tender.

Having white spots (infiltrates, photo on right) in the cornea is a sign of the immune system trying to kill off the virus, going in overdrive.  This can be extremely uncomfortable and even causes blurry vision.  Aggressive treatment is normally indicated. 

What is the treatment for Viral Conjunctivitis?

This can vary depending on how intense the presentation and the symptoms are.  We need to remember that if the diagnosis is viral conjunctivitis, then antibiotics are not part of the treatment plan.

Viral Conjunctivitis treatment is normally termed palliative.  This means that anything that is given to the patient is to make them more comfortable.  The disease process in other words just needs to run its course, while the immune system finally recognises the offending virus and over a period of 2 weeks develops an antibody response, which finally kills it off.

Palliative Treatment for Viral Conjunctivitis:

• Cold Compresses - this is probably best done using a gel sporting injury cold pack, that is stored in the freezer.  It needs to be wrapped once in a clean tea towel and then moulded into the eye sockets for at least 10 minutes once or twice a day.

       

• Unpreserved Lubrication - This forms the basis of nearly any eye irritation.  The key though is using eye drops that do not have preservatives.  All too often we see patients that have had all forms of conjunctivitis that is treated with preserved eye drops.  The preservatives can set off an allergic or toxic conjunctivitis.  Instead of having one problem now the patient has two forms of conjunctivitis.  So where possible, use eye drops that have NO PRESERVATIVES!

Anti-inflammatory treatments for Viral Conjunctivitis:

Inflammation which is caused by the aggressive immune response of the eye in defense against the viral infection is what is responsible for all the symptoms that the patient perceives.  What we need to remember though, is that it is the inflammatory response that ultimately will kill off the virus.  It is a balancing act for the treating therapeutic optometrist to try and keep the patient comfortable, whilst allowing the immune system to do its job.  If anti-inflammatory treatment is chosen, it sometimes means being on treatment for a few months and weaning off gradually.  Stopping the eye drops too quickly sometimes can cause a rebound reaction.

• Corticosteroid eye drops - these are very effective in relieving most of the annoying symptoms of viral conjunctivitis.  This is especially true if white spots (infiltrates) affect the cornea.  There are various strengths of steroid eye drops starting from unpreserved prednisolone to the king of steroid eye drops Prednefrin Forte.
• Non-steroidal eye drops - these also suppress inflammation but are not as potent as steroids.  If possible non-preserved eye drops should be given to avoid irritation from preservatives.

Novel Treatment for Viral Conjunctivitis:

A new treatment for Viral Conjunctivitis seems to be using a single treatment of Iodine solution (Betadine 2.5% - 5% concentration).  Iodine solution is very irritating to the eye so anaesthetic must be used before the treatment.  Once the eye is anaesthetised (takes 30 seconds), a few drops of Iodine solution are instilled, the patients is asked to move the eye around and blink to make sure all parts of the eye are covered.

After 60 seconds the eye should be rinsed out carefully with unpreserved saline solution.  Steroid or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory eye drops should then be used for a few days to keep things comfortable.

This treatment has not been investigated fully to date and treatment protocol is still being investigated, but it seems that it will revolutionise Viral Conjunctivitis treatment.

If you have a red irritated eye, the best follow up is an appointment with a certified therapeutic optometrist.  Dr Jim Kokkinakis is available for conjunctivitis appointments usually on the same day.  Call 9290 1899 or BOOK AN APPOINTMENT ONLINE NOW.

Conjunctivitis is quite common and luckily at least 50% of cases will resolve by themselves even by doing nothing.

So what happens to the other 50% that do not resolve by themselves - what could be the cause and more importantly which causes of conjunctivitis do we need to concern ourselves with?

This is a tough question, as conjunctivitis, an inflammation of the conjunctiva around the white part of the eye in virtually all cases is easily treatable.  There are exceptions though. Occasionally one or both eyes can be red, inflamed and in some form of pain.

The following is not a complete list but examples of inflamed eyes that are not conjunctivitis are:

• Uveitis
• Scleritis
• Episcleritis
• Inflamed Pterygium
• Inflamed Pinguecula
• Herpetic Eye Disease

It is for this reason that it is a good idea to see a therapeutically trained optometrist.  The optometrist using his/her specialised equipment will be able to work out what needs to be done. If it is a more complex condition they will know where to refer for the most effective treatment.

Conditions like scleritis for example are beyond the scope of a therapeutically trained optometrist and really require an ophthalmologist that is trained in ocular inflammation to take over the case as it normally implies a systemic condition.

Often laboratory testing is required to differentiate an underlying systemic condition that could be contributing to the eye inflammation.  Trying to treat the eye without paying particular attention to the systemic problem possibly will not settle down the eye and more importantly delaying systemic treatment for scleritis could have serious repercussions.

Scleritis is chronic, can be quite painful and potentially blinding. It is associated with auto immune diseases like lupus, giant cell arteritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.  Testing for these conditions and then treating them is critical to trying to resolve the severely inflamed and painful eye.

Recently we found an article about a mother who took her younger son to the GP for eye drops for a conjunctivitis.  She not only used the drops on the younger son but also on the older son, thinking that if it is contagious maybe treating both sons was a good idea.

On trying to put the drops in the older son noticed that his pupil was white and on being referred on to an ophthalmologist was discovered that he had a rare life threatening eye condition called retinoblastoma.

The full story can be READ HERE>

The moral to the story is that even though a red eye potentially could be a conjunctivitis that will resolve by itself; a red eye occasionally can be something much more serious.

If you are worried about any red eye condition call and make an appointment with Dr Jim Kokkinakis on 9290 1899, who will either treat the cause in house, or make a timely referral to someone that is highly specialised in the more complex conditions like scleritis.

Conjunctivitis as previously discussed is an inflammation of the structure of the eye called the conjunctiva.  To the lay person the eye looks red, watery and uncomfortable.

Conjunctivitis does not mean you have an eye infection that needs treating with an antibiotic.  Conjunctivitis only means your eye or eyes need to be seen by a therapeutically trained optometrist to get to the bottom of the problem and possibly treated with appropriate medication.

Causes of Conjunctivitis

Here things can be simple to very complicated, which is why you need an expert to make the diagnosis. The following list is not complete but to give you an idea about some of the causes that can make your eye go red:

• Viral infection - this type of conjunctivitis is very common and is just as commonly treated inappropriately. It normally will not stick the eye lids together and the eye is watery.

• Irritants - there are many things that can just irritate the eye or eyes such as shampoo, make-up, cigarette smoke etc. The list can go on and on.

• Computer use - typically this will occur after many hours of use and especially in air-conditioning, which will dehydrate the eyes causing them to get gritty and red.

• Long Haul airflight - this is very hard on eyes, as the air in an aeroplane is dehumidified to the point that not only will your eyes get red and irritated but you can also get very dry skin, nose and mouth.

• Contact Lenses and Contact Lens solutions - At the Eye Practice our specialty is contact lenses.  We spend a disproportionate amount of time trying to settle down contact lens induced conjunctivitis.  This occurs because many patients do not comply with instructions that are clearly given by us or often they are referred by other practitioners who have not been able to fix the problem.

• Allergies - often these are seasonal and will most commonly occur during spring and autumn.

• Bacterial infection - even though this is not rare it is far less common than the above causes. Bacterial infection often has significant mucopurulent discharge which sticks the eyelids together in the morning.  Bacterial conjunctivitis is significantly more common in children.

• Other causes - in future posts we will discuss each of the causes above and other more rare ones in detail.  It is a very important topic and because conjunctivitis is so often misdiagnosed, it is imperative that we educate in depth around this topic.

Viral Conjunctivitis - watery discharge                                           Bacterial Conjunctivitis - mucopurulent discharge

Treatment of Conjunctivitis

Now that we have made it clear that conjunctivitis is not necessarily an infection, hopefully it can be understood that treatment depends on an accurate diagnosis.  At The Eye Practice we see a lot of conjunctivitis or pink eye as it is sometimes referred to. 

Dr Jim Kokkinakis is therapeutically qualified to treat most of the cases and in the rare instances that he feels you need to see a corneal specialist, we will organise a local person that will see you immediately.  A corneal specialist requires a referral from an optometrist.

In future posts on conjunctivitis (pink eye) we will discuss each cause one by one and the treatment of each cause will also then be discussed as it becomes relevant.

Conjunctivitis also known as Pink Eye or just simple Red Eyes is a common consultation for the local General Medical Practitioner (GP).  As we discussed in a previous post, most Conjunctivitis or Pink Eye will resolve by themselves over the course of a number of days.  Does that mean we need to be complacent?  NOT AT ALL!  There are umpteen reasons why eyes get red, inflamed and irritable.

Getting an accurate diagnosis and therefore accurate treatment is not that straight forward.  A Therapeutically Trained Optometrist has both the education, the experience and importantly the equipment to get to the bottom of the problem. 

Your local GP is certainly educated but does not have the appropriate equipment to magnify the eyes to the level required for accurate diagnosis.  Optometrists in general have magnifying equipment called a Slit Lamp Biomicroscope that allows detailed viewing of the delicate structures of the eyes.

The image on the left is of an optometrist examining a patient, whilst the image on the right is the type of detail that can be observed. 

It is not possible to get this with the naked eye plus a pen torch that the GP in most cases would use. 

What we need to make clear here is that the GP just does not have the volume of eye issues coming in on a daily basis that would need him or her to invest in equipment like a SLIT LAMP BIOMICROSCOPE.

So what does the GP normally do with a red eye?  Depending on perceived severity in most cases they will prescribe a broad spectrum antibiotic called Chlorsig.  This comes in both a drop form and an ointment form.

   

Similar statistics exist for Chlorsig as do Bleph-10 mentioned in a previous post.  Millions of prescriptions per year are written for Chlorsig, which until very recently was available by prescription only from a pharmacy.  It is not possible that in a population the size of Australia that one in 5 people every year have a red eye that is caused by a bacterial infection.  GP's will default to Chlorsig just in case it is a bacterial infection (which in most cases it is not). 

If you think you have some form of Conjunctivitis call The Eye Practice now on 9290 1899 and make an appointment for an evaluation and a treatment plan. 

So what is the most common cause of Conjunctivitis, Pink Eye or Red Eyes?

We will answer this question and a whole host of other things to know about Conjunctivitis in upcoming posts.

Conjunctivitis or commonly known as Red Eye or Pink Eye is possibly one of the most misunderstood eye conditions that we encounter at The Eye Practice.

Conjunctivitis means that the membrane covering the white part of the eye (called the sclera) is inflammed and red.  It does not tell us anything about what has caused the eye to be inflammed or red.

We have a great video with more information in our website. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

Until recently depending upon perceived severity, a patient would show up to their local pharmacy and request over the counter treatment for their red irritated eyes. The assumption made by the pharmacist or other staff member is that the eye is infected and then dispenses an eye drop called "Bleph-10". This is a sulphur based antibiotic.

          

 The problem with this diagnosis is that if the red eye is in fact caused by an infection - what type of infection?  "Bleph-10" can only treat bacterial infections and is less than 50% effective against all strains of bacteria.

The next question is: Of all eye infections how many are bacterial in nature?

Interestingly not many! Less than 5% of them are bacterial and if you look in WikiPedia under conjunctictivitis management of all conjunctivitis with no specific diagnosis "Conjunctivitis resolves in 65% of cases without treatment, within two to five days. The prescribing of antibiotics to most cases is not necessary".

Once we understand the prevalence of bacterial conjunctivitis (which is relatively small) and that Bleph-10 is ineffective against most bacteria anyway, why is it that Bleph-10 is one of the most purchased eyes drops over the counter.  The answer is simple; most of the time the conjunctivitis will resolve by itself in 2 - 5 days and it appears to the patient and the pharmacist that the Bleph-10 did the job.

Believe it or not there are many millions of bottles of Bleph-10 sold over the counter every year, even though it is relatively useless.  To make matters worse quite a number of patients are sensitive or allergic to the preservatives in Bleph-10.  Continual use of these drops can cause a condition called Eye Conjunctivitis Medicamentosa. This can be a little tricky to settle down.

 

Conjunctivitis Medicamentosa

Probably the best and most convenient practitioner to see about conjunctivitis is a Therapeutically Qualified Optometrist. At The Eye Practice we have a special interest in treating eye disease and are therapeutically qualified. This means we can prescribe eye drops that are not available over the counter. More importantly you will be prescribed eye drops that are specific for your conjunctivitis and not just get a guess.

In our next post about conjunctivitis, red eye and pink eye we will discuss the most common eye drop that is prescribed by GP's and why in most cases it also is inappropriate.