Bacterial Conjunctivitis Treatment

Bacterial conjunctivitis is marked by appearance of pinkness in the white portion of the eye. The mucous membrane on the surface of the eye is inflamed causing swelling of the eyelids. Scientifically, this membrane is known as conjunctiva and therefore, it is known as conjunctivitis. The pain varies according to the severity of the infection. Treatment is basically associated with administering eye drops and antibiotics.

Bacterial conjunctivitis symptoms include the following:

• Redness in the white zone of the eye.
• Swollen eyelids.
• Discharge of yellow mucus from eyes.
• Matting of eye after rising from sleep.
• Infection in the surrounding skin.
• Itchiness and Irritation.
• Mild fever.
• Throat pain.

The pathophysiology will be explained in better details in this paragraph. The ocular adnexa and the surface tissues of eyes are habitat of bacterial flora like corynebacterium, streptococci and staphylococci. Infection occurs if the bacterial flora gets altered. Bacterial conjunctivitis is very contagious since the external flora is contaminated very quickly. It spreads to the adjacent sites of the eye through the medium of blood. The epithelial layer of the eye covering the conjunctiva might also succumb to clinical infection, giving rise to pink eye. Newborns are affected mostly by the Chlamydia and Neisseria species. People prone to sinusitis, cold and cough and sexually transmitted diseases are the more likely to contract conjunctivitis. The next segment shall let you know how to treat bacterial conjunctivitis.

Treatment for Bacterial Conjunctivitis

The basic treatment of conjunctivitis is associated with administration of eye drops. This is also known as first line therapy of conjunctivitis. Eye gels are applied topically for eliminating the irritation. Thus, the medicine should be directly applied on the site of infection. Aminoglycosides is a broad spectrum antibiotic and is effective against gram positive as well as gram negative bacteria. If corneal ulcers result from the infection, then Fluoroquinolones are applied. Neonates are orally administered doses of erythromycin and doxycycline. Other forms of antibiotics include intravenous injection of Penicillin G and third generation cephalosporins. The eye drops are formulated with these antibiotics and works good as pink eye cure.

Home Remedies for Bacterial Conjunctivitis

So how do you get rid of pink eye with home remedies? The home remedies are capable of eliminating irritation in the eyes. If your eyes tend to stick, then dab a soft towel or cotton wool in a lukewarm water. Wipe your eyes and the mucus with this and open your eyes slowly. The hot cold theory works wonder for bacterial conjunctivitis. Soak the towel in warm water and wipe your eyes with it. Now compress your eyes with ice pack. This removes irritation and itchy feel from eyes. A combination of honey with green tea is a very effective way to soothe your eyes.

Application of breast milk is one of the most common home remedies for pink eye. Eye solutions made from mixture of hyaluronic acid and Ginkgo biloba is one of the effective ways to get rid of bacterial conjunctivitis. Prepare a mixture with equal parts of chamomile, eyebright, marigold, plantain and fennel seeds. Steep in boiling water and then strain. Cool it before using as eye drops. Wrap steeped flaxseed in a cheesecloth and apply over your eyes for quick results. Treatment with herbal solutions, containing goldenseal works wonders. These were some of the efficient ways to get rid of bacterial conjunctivitis at home.

Make sure you do not use other personal belonging like toiletries, combs, towels, etc while suffering from conjunctivitis. Maintain hygiene to prevent spread of infection. Bacterial conjunctivitis treatment is usually started after the infection is confirmed by regular eye tests. Therefore, do not worry and visit doctor if you experience the symptoms mentioned in the content above.