Incubation Period for Pink Eye

Pink eye tends to affect mostly young children and it is defined as the inflammation of the conjunctiva (a transparent lubricating mucous membrane that covers the eyeball and the undersurface of the eyelid) and hence the name 'conjunctivitis'. Reasons which are behind causing pink eye, are many. Common causes include viral or bacterial infections, allergic reactions, irritants such as chemicals, fumes, smoke or dry eyes. Conjunctivitis is highly contagious and it can easily spread from one person to another in an event of direct contact or sharing contaminated items.

How Long is the Incubation Period for Conjunctivitis

The term, 'incubation period' is generally defined as the period between the start of the infection and the appearance of the symptoms. As said, this pink eye incubation period depends upon the specific cause of the infection. If it is a viral infection, then generally the period is 12 hours to three days. On the other hand, if a bacterial infection is the cause, then it takes one to three days for the symptoms to show up. In some cases, the period may also range from a couple of days to a couple of weeks. During the incubation period, conjunctivitis is not contagious. In case of bacterial eye infection, it can spread when the symptoms have started to show up and can continue till 24 hours until medication. If a virus has caused the pink eye, then the affected person may be contagious for up to 14 days, from the start of the symptoms.

Symptoms

Conjunctivitis can affect one or both the eyes. Even if the infection begins in one eye, it is most likely that it will affect the other eye as well. The early symptoms of conjunctivitis are irritation and itchiness in the infected eye. Gradually, the eye can be seen to become pink to reddish and this occurs due to the inflammation of the conjunctiva. The eyelids may become red and swollen and there is an increase in the production of tears. The affected person may have the sensation of having some grain-like substances under his eyelids or when he closes his eye. The eye will burn all the time and in some cases there might be a sharp pain due to exposure of bright light. Discharge from the eye is also a common symptom of pink eye. In case of a viral infection, the discharge will be somewhat watery, however, it will be thicker and more pus-like if it is a bacterial infection. Due to these discharges from the eye(s), the person may feel his eyelids getting stuck together when he wakes up in the morning.

Treatment

Pink eye treatment depends upon the cause of the infection; whether viral, bacterial or allergic. For an infection that has been caused by bacteria, treatment with antibiotic ointments or drops will be prescribed by the doctor. For allergic conjunctivitis or pink eye, the doctor normally recommends the administration of anti-allergy medication pill or eye drops. In the case of a viral conjunctivitis, there are basically no medications as such. This is due to the fact that the virus simply runs its course and the infection subsides by itself in some time. However, medications can be used in order to soothe the symptoms.

To clean the discharge, you can use lukewarm saline water for the infected eyes. Take care that you do not use the same cloth for both the eyes,in case only one eye has been affected. Warm compresses or cold compresses can be used in order to get relief form the swelling and the pain. Even here, you should not use the same compress for both eyes. Clean the eyes using a clean cloth and every time you wipe the drainage, use a clean surface. Do not let tissues or wipes to sit around just anywhere after they have been used; throw them in the trash bin. You can also put rose water drops in the affected eyes. This helps in soothing the irritation and the burning. Most importantly, wash your hands after touching your eyes.

People are also advised not to go to work or send their kids to school when they are having pink eye. This is to minimize the risk of spreading the infection to others. Wearing shades until the infection has healed completely, also helps in preventing the infection from spreading.