Watch out for conjunctivitis

1. How your eyes turn red

The mucous membrane, also called conjunctiva, is on the outside of your eyeball and on the inside of your eyelids. It contains many blood vessels that are normally so thin that you cannot see them. But when your eye gets irritated, the blood vessels swell, making them visible. The result: a red eye.

2. When is it an inflammation?

With conjunctivitis, your eye is not only red, but it also itches, feels burning and can also hurt. Sometimes the culprit is just dirt, smoke, chlorine or a stray eye hair. Or you are allergic to something, such as grass pollen or the cat. But in most cases it is an infection with a bacterium or a virus.

3. Culprit: a virus

If the infection is caused by a virus, a mucous and watery discharge will come out of your eye. Now there are several viruses that can lead to conjunctivitis. For example, the adenovirus, a cold virus that easily hits the eyes. This virus is quite persistent and can last for about two weeks. Anti-inflammatory eye drops sometimes provide some relief. Herpes viruses can also cause the inflammation. If this is the case, you should be treated as soon as possible, because such an infection can cause nasty complications.

4. It could also be a bacteria

Is there a greenish-yellow discharge from your eye that sticks your eye all the way up when you wake up in the morning? Then a bacteria is the cause. A bacterial infection usually causes an acute inflammation, which often resolves spontaneously within a few days. Antibacterial eye drops, gel and ointment accelerate recovery and reduce the risk of the bacteria spreading. But there are also bacteria (such as Chlamydia trachomatis) where the infection can last much longer. In such a case you should be treated with antibiotics.

5. Wash hands

Always wash your hands well. Because both viral and bacterial infections are very contagious. If you just rub your eyes, they can settle there.